Biblical Psychology

BIBLICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Pastor Simon Roper Pastor Thomas Schaller

First Edition June 2013

Grace Publications 6025 Moravia Park Drive Baltimore, MD 21206

Printed in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. Copyright Pending 2013 Grace Publications is a ministry of Greater Grace World Outreach Inc.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, without written permission from the publisher.

Biblical Psychology

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the KING JAMES VERSION of the Bible

Other translations are used when they render a better reading from the original Hebrew and Greek.

Scripture quotations identified YLT are from the YOUNG’S LITERAL TRANSLATION, 1862, 1887, 1898. Public Domain

The format and layout of this book are based upon a study guide that was produced for Maryland Bible Col- lege and Seminary in 2008. This material was enhanced and expanded by meetings with Pastor Schaller, time- ly messages from the pulpit, Pastor Stevens’ doctrine booklets, material from respected Christian authors1, and the author’s personal Bible study and meditation. There is also material from secular sources, such as psychologists and philosophers.

1 It should be noted that the inclusion of a particular Christian author in this book should not necessarily be taken as an endorsement of all of that author’s theology 2

Biblical Psychology

Contents

Introduction ...... 5 Chapter 1 Why Study Biblical Psychology? ...... 7 Chapter 2 The “Genesis” Of Biblical Psychology ...... 11 Man : Made In God’s Image And Likeness ...... 11 Free Will And Family ...... 12 The Fall ...... 14 The Promise Of A Savior ...... 16 Consequences Of The Fall ...... 17 Chapter 3 The Heart ...... 19 The Heart : The Center Of Man’s Thoughts, Words And Actions ...... 19 The Heart : The Seat Of Love And Wisdom ...... 21 The Heart : The Source Of Faith...... 22 The Old Heart And The New Heart ...... 26 Chapter 4 Body, Soul And Spirit ...... 35 The Body ...... 36 The Senses ...... 38 The Deceptive Nature of the Senses ...... 42 The Soul ...... 43 The Spirit ...... 43 Chapter 5 The Tabernacle of God ...... 45 The Holy Place ...... 46 The Holy of Holies...... 47 The Spiritual Application Of The Tabernacle ...... 49 Chapter 6 The Physiology Of The Brain ...... 51 Neurons and Synapses ...... 51 Training, Adapting, and Teaching ...... 53 Is the Brain Responsible? ...... 55 The Effects of Drugs And Alcohol ...... 59 Chapter 7 The Mind ...... 63 The Functions of the Mind ...... 63 Three Kinds of Mind ...... 70 A Mind that Loves and a Love that Thinks ...... 74 A New Way of Thinking...... 79 Chapter 8 The Emotions ...... 83 Functions of the Emotions ...... 84 Three Kinds of Emotions ...... 86 Four Types of Love ...... 89 The Mind, Truth, and Emotions ...... 92 Chapter 9 The Conscience ...... 95 Functions of the Conscience ...... 96 Three Kinds of Conscience ...... 98 Knowledge, Liberty, Love, and the Weak Conscience ...... 102 Chapter 10 Self-Consciousness...... 107 Functions of Self-Consciousness ...... 108

Biblical Psychology

Three Kinds of Self-Consciousness ...... 109 Consciousness of Love ...... 113 Three Levels of Consciousness ...... 114 Self-Consciousness and the Cross ...... 116 Chapter 11 The Will ...... 119 Functions of the Will ...... 119 Three Kinds of Will ...... 123 Being Constrained By Love ...... 126 The Two Wills...... 128 God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will ...... 131 Chapter 12 The Human Spirit ...... 141 Functions of the Spirit ...... 142 The Spirit And The Soul ...... 144 The Spirit of Grace and the Letter of the Law ...... 146 Characteristics of the Spiritual Life ...... 149 Disciplines and Enemies of the Spiritual Life ...... 156 Bibliography ...... 167

Biblical Psychology

Introduction

The word “psychology” comes from two Greek words, psyche, meaning “soul,” and logia, meaning “words” or “discourses.” It is the science of the soul and its study addresses the nature of man. Man has always been fascinated by his soul. He has studied man’s behavior and devised various theories concerning the internal working of the soul. But the only the true psychology is a Bible- based psychology. The only true psychology is a psychology where the Creator tells the creation how He made him.

This book takes a Biblical approach to the study of Psychology. However, it does make use of secular psychology where it is appropriate to do so. These references to secular psychology serve three purposes. They provide evidence to support what God has already revealed in His Word. They help to explain what God has revealed in His Word. And they challenge some of the viewpoints that are considered to be “scientific fact” by many in the psychiatric community.

Chapter 1 explains why it is so important to study psychology from a Biblical perspective. It discusses (1) the truth that God made man in His image and that knowing God and His Word is the only way that man can know himself, (2) the reality that fallen man is totally depraved and that Jesus Christ is the only One who can help him, and (3) the major differences between the Biblical and secular views of psychology.

Chapter 2 looks at psychology from the perspective of the first four chapters of Genesis. If discusses (1) the nature of man before the Fall, (2) the nature of the Fall and how Satan was able to deceive Eve, (3) the consequences of the Fall with Cain’s murder of Abel, and (4) the promise of a Savior to deliver man from the consequences of the Fall.

Chapter 3 looks at the heart. It discusses (1) the role of heart as the center of man’s motivation, (2) the role of the heart in man’s salvation, (3) the problems of man’s old heart and how fallen man tries to satisfy himself with the things of the world, and (4) God’s provision of a new heart and how this new heart satisfies all of man’s needs.

Chapter 4 looks at man as made up of body, soul, and spirit. It discusses (1) the various views of man’s make- up, (2) man’s five basic senses, (3) the deceptive nature of man’s senses, (4) the five parts of the soul, and (5) the human spirit.

Chapter 5 looks at the Tabernacle and how it relates to man’s body, soul, and spirit. It discusses (1) the connection between the Holy Place and the soul, (2) the connection between the Holy of Holies and the human spirit, (3) the connection between the Ark of the Covenant and the Holy Spirit, and (4) how a study of the Tab- ernacle can help us understand God’s design for man.

Chapter 6 looks at the physiology of the brain. It discusses (1) how the brain is a physical entity which remembers things and which can be trained, (2) the importance of training the brain and keeping it free from corruption, (3) the false belief that the brain can be blamed for much of man’s behavior, (4) the truth that man’s problems are based in his heart and not in his brain, and (5) the effects of drugs on the brain.

Chapter 7 looks at the mind. It discusses (1) the fact that God gives the believer a new heart but not a new mind, (2) the mind as a battlefield and the target of Satan’s attacks, (3) the functions of the mind, (4) the differences between the natural, the carnal, and the spiritual mind, (5) the effect of God’s love on the mind, and (6) how God’s Word and the Holy Spirit can change and renew the mind.

Chapter 8 looks at the emotions. It discusses (1) the value of the emotions as a gift from God, (2) the functions of the emotions, (3) the differences between the natural, the carnal, and the spiritual emotions, (4) the differ-

Biblical Psychology ences between God’s unconditional love and man’s conditional love, and (5) how healthy thinking can result in healthy emotions.

Chapter 9 looks at the conscience. It discusses (1) the differences between the moral conscience and the spiritual conscience, (2) the functions of the conscience, (3) the differences between the natural, the carnal, and the spiritual conscience, (4) the liberty that the believer has in his conscience, and (5) the love that a strong believer should show to a weak believer with a weak conscience.

Chapter 10 looks at self-consciousness. It discusses (1) man’s awareness of his existence and his environment, (2) the functions of self-consciousness, (3) the differences between natural, carnal, and spiritual self- consciousness, (4) the three levels of consciousness, (5) the effect of God’s love on the believer’s self-image, and (6) the role of the Cross in establishing the believer’s new image in Christ.

Chapter 11 looks at the will. It discusses (1) how God created man with a free will and how He values that free will, (2) the functions of the will, (3) the differences between the natural, the carnal, and the spiritual will, (4) love as the ultimate expression of man’s liberty and freedom, (5) how man’s decisions are linked and how one decision can affect a later decision, and (6) the relationship between God’s sovereign will and man’s free will.

Chapter 12 looks at the human spirit. It discusses (1) the believer’s human spirit as the permanent home of the Holy Spirit, (2) the possibility of demons possessing the unbeliever’s human spirit, (3) the functions of the human spirit, (4) how the contents of the Ark of the Covenant relate to the functions of the human spirit, (5) the relationship between the human spirit and the soul, (6) the contrasts between walking in the spirit and living by the Law, (7) the value of walking in the spirit, and (8) the disciplines of a healthy Christian life.

Finally, the intent of this book is to provide a solid and practical foundation for Biblical counseling and Chris- tian living. It is hoped that the reader will find it easy to read and that it will provide the disciple with practical guidance and advice concerning his walk with Jesus Christ.

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 1 Why Study Biblical Psychology?

There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand (Proverbs 19:21)

Why study Biblical Psychology? Why seek the “counsel of the LORD?” After all, don’t we have a wealth of qualified secular psychologists out there? And hasn’t scientific research given us a great insight into how human beings functions? Secular psychology has made a great many advances in understanding the human psyche (or human soul). Many therapists have had great success in counseling people and helping them to cope. Medication has had a measure of success in helping certain psychological disorders. But the problem with secular psychology is that it is a band-aid. It does not get to the heart of the matter.

In the original Hebrew, the word for “devices” refers to men creating or devising new ideas. These ideas are rooted in man’s heart, a heart which is “deceitful” and “desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9). Furthermore, there is no thought in this word of man understanding what is already there, or what has already been written. Another way of saying this is that there is no thought of learning or understanding what the Creator says about man. Instead, he would rather devise his own ideas and ignore what God has to say. But does it not make sense to ask Him how He made us and how we function? Does it not make sense that He is the only one who can really teach us about man?

These devices are “many.” Secular psychology has never been able to fully explain the human psyche. With every new discovery, a new theory needs to be created. And there are many diverse theories, because no one theory can fully explain away the facts. But God knows. His counsel “shall stand.” He created man, so He knows him. There is no need for Him to change His theories, because they are not theories. They are the truth. His revealed Word concerning man can be trusted. It is 100% accurate, 100% complete and 100% certain.

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness … (Genesis 1:26)

Man was made in God’s image and likeness. It follows that knowing God will help us to know man. The use of these two words, “image” and “likeness,” is important. The use of two words adds emphasis. Man was created as God’s representative on earth. Man is His finest creation. God gave man “dominion” over the earth (Genesis 1:26). Man is important to God. This importance satisfies man’s fundamental needs, security and significance.2

But what does it mean to be made in God’s image and likeness? In the original Hebrew, the word for “image” is also translated as “idol.” There is a difference. Images are created by God, while idols are created by man. Man creates idols which he believes are representations of God. In so doing he brings God down to his level. But God creates man as an image and likeness of Himself. And in so doing He brings man up to His level.

God has a mind (Jeremiah 19:5), a heart (1 Kings 9:3), a spirit (Genesis 6:3), a will (Matthew 6:10), etc. Man also has these same attributes. The ultimate example, of course, is Jesus Christ in His incarnation. He could sympathize with man (Hebrews 4:15) because He was like man, except that He had no sin. Therefore, a study of Jesus Christ will teach us much about man.

There are several books that talk about God’s attributes. These books contain descriptions of God’s various attributes, many of which can also be present in man. These attributes, also known as communicative attributes, include love, mercy, holiness, truth, beauty, etc. Because of the fall of man, these attributes were no long-

2 Dr. Larry Crabb originated the concept of security and significance as man’s basic needs 7

Biblical Psychology er part of man’s make-up. But the born-again, regenerated believer does have these attributes, even if he does not live in them.

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalm 8:4)

One fundamental flaw in secular psychology is that it does not understand who man is. Man’s fundamental needs are not known and, therefore, not satisfied. Man has two fundamental needs, security and significance. Another way of saying this is that he needs both to love and to be loved. This need comes from the Trinity that created him. God is love (1 John 4:8). The Trinity is love and needs both to love and to be loved. The Father, because He is love, needs to love the Son. And the Son needs to love the Father. The Holy Spirit needs to love both the Father and the Son. But the Son also needed to be loved by His Father. Jesus Christ’s agonizing cry on the Cross, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), speaks volumes about the need that the Son had for His Father’s love, a love which the Father gave unconditionally simply because He was His Son (Matthew 3:17).

Man needs to know God. He was designed this way. While he lives in time, a part of him is always grasping for that which is eternal. He has eternity in his heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and, until this eternal need is satisfied, he will never be content. Paul’s only desire was to know God (Philippians 3:10). Secular psychologists do not think this way. They think in terms of evolution, and so they have no place for the Creator in their theories. But it is the Creator who is so essential to our lives, and apart from Him nothing makes sense.

Secular psychology tries to convince people that a relationship or a good job will satisfy them. And yet we see that a great many wealthy people with seemingly great relationships are, in fact, miserable. How many of the “beautiful people” in Hollywood are turning to drugs and alcohol? How many jump from one shallow relationship to another? Their fame and fortune is not enough it seems. And their highly paid psychologists do not seem to have any answers to their problems.

But it does not have to be that way. The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are perfectly content. They have always been. From eternity past, there has never been a time when They were not totally happy with who They were. Their identity as the Godhead gives them all the security and significance that They need. And man has been invited into this perfect and content fellowship. It is this, and only this, which can satisfy his needs.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2:11)

The human spirit connects man to God. This human spirit, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, is the only way that man can know God and the only way that man can know himself. These two things, knowing God and knowing ourselves, cannot be separated. To know himself, man must first know God.

But God has deliberately hidden the things concerning Himself from “wise and prudent” people and has revealed them to “babes” (Luke 10:21). God can only reveal Himself to His people in the “inner man” (Ephe- sians 3:16), that is in the human spirit. This revelation comes through the spiritual revelation contained in God’s Word.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? (Jeremiah 17:9)

The secular psychologist uses several approaches in studying human behavior. The “patient” had a hard upbringing. He suffered a traumatic experience as a child. He is a victim. He is really not so bad. It’s not his fault. He is a product of his environment. The list goes on. But very rarely will the secular psychologist say that man is evil. Certainly most would acknowledge that Hitler and Stalin were evil. Most would also consider rapists and murderers to be evil. But man is still viewed as being inherently good.

Biblical Psychology

The Word of God, on the other hand, makes a clear statement that man is inherently flawed. God tells us that man is totally depraved. Not partially depraved, but totally. Paul tells us that there is nothing good in any man (Romans 7:19). Isaiah tells us that “the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint” (Isaiah 1:5).

This could be a very depressing situation. Man is depraved and there seems to be no solution. The secular psychologist tries to patch things up, but has no or limited success. He tells people to find a relationship or to take a cruise. He prescribes medication. He does many things, but nothing works because man is basically flawed.

Man’s heart has a hole in it, a hole that only God can fill. The world has a great many suggestions as to how this hole can be filled. It suggests all sorts of ways in which man can be satisfied without God. But only God can fill that hole. Only God can satisfy our most basic needs. God has a solution. God wants to replace man’s evil heart by a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). He gets to the root of the matter, pulling out the old roots and planting something new.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

Guilt is a real issue with some people. No amount of secular counseling can deal with this. Man has three basic problems here – guilt, fear and shame. These things plague his conscience and curse him. Some people make excuses while others accuse other people for their behavior (Romans 2:15). Some people deal with guilt by searing the conscience (1 Timothy 4:2) and rationalizing their actions. But nothing really helps because the conscience is real and guilt is real.

The only answer is the blood of Jesus Christ. His blood both paid for the sins of man and cleansed his conscience. Man, at least the believer in Christ, is truly forgiven. God no longer has any remembrance of his sins (Hebrews 10:17). He is a new creation and everything behind him is just that – behind him (2 Corinthians 5:17). He can now look forward to a beautiful, guilt-free existence.

Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 12:8)

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man (Ecclesiastes 12:13)

Solomon tried it all. If he were around today, maybe he would have tried secular psychology. And it is sure that he would have called it “vanity.” The problem with secular psychology is that it is a “soft” science rather than a “hard” science, meaning that it is subjective rather than objective in nature. While it is true that secular psychologists do employ scientific methods in its study, their application shifts from the objective to the subjective.

Biblical Psychology

Biblical Psychology, on the other hand, is 100% objective because it is based upon the objective truth found in God’s revealed Word, the Bible. Because this is so, we do not have to do research or to observe human behavior. Instead, we can take God’s Biblical counsel as reliable and trustable. This gives us a firm foundation for counseling.

Opposing Views Of Psychology The Biblical View The Secular View The Bible is our source of truth. It is revelation from Knowledge is relative and subjective. It is based upon God about who man is culture, education, experience, and opinion. It can’t tell me who man is Man consists of a body, a soul, a spirit and a heart Man consists of only a body and a soul. There is no spirit or heart God is the center of the believer’s worldview God is rarely considered Satan is real. He has an organized system of evil and a Satan is never mentioned. There is no such thing as kingdom of darkness spiritual warfare Man’s purpose is derived from God Man’s purpose is based upon what gives him meaning. It differs from person to person There is a purpose for suffering The symptoms of suffering need to be managed or medicated Relationships in the Body of Christ are based on the Relationships are based on self-fulfillment Trinity

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 2 The “Genesis” Of Biblical Psychology

In the beginning … (Genesis 1:1)

The first four chapters of Genesis have much to say about the psychology of man. The student of both Biblical Psychology and Biblical counseling needs to read and understand these four chapters. Chapters one and two tell us how God created him. They tell us how he was designed to function. They tell us about the liberty and the responsibility that God gave to him, not a liberty to sin but a liberty to enjoy God and His creation. They tell us about the abilities that God gave to him and the amazing degree to which God trusted him. And they tell us about the plan that God had for him.

But all of this was to be short lived because of the fall of man. Chapter three tells us about the way in which Satan tempted Adam and Eve. It gives us insight into why they were tempted and why they ultimately chose to disobey God. It tells us about the excuses that Adam and Eve gave for their disobedience, excuses which man still employs today. And it tells us about the consequences of this disobedience.

Finally, chapter four tells us how quickly man fell into a state of total depravity. It tells us a about Cain, a man who wanted to do it his way and who refused God’s provision. It tells us about the problems with Cain’s attitude, which we still see today. And it tells us what happens when man refuses God’s provision in his life.

Man : Made In God’s Image And Likeness

And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that crept upon the earth (Genesis 1:26)

Man was created in the image and likeness and God. This is the time that man is mentioned in the Bible. This is important because we see God’s plan for mankind. The first thing that we see is that man was created innocent and sinless. He was created without sin, but with the potential for sin. This potential would become a reality very quickly. Man was more than just good when he was created, he was “very good” (verse 31).

The second thing we see is that man was to have dominion over the rest of God’s creation. God refers to the rest of His creation as good. Man was the only one of His creation that He refers to as very good. Man was God’s finest creation. Man had to be God’s finest creation because he was the only one created in His image and likeness. God, therefore, placed man over all the rest of His creation. Man was to “have dominion.”

The third thing we see is that God had a purpose for man. He was to be fruitful in his labors (verse 28). He was to subdue the earth and cause it to increase. He was to look after the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:15). God had plenty of meaningful work for man to do. But this work was to be easy and satisfying. It was to fulfill man’s need.

The final thing we see is that God had a provision for man. God gave him the seeds of the herbs and the seeds of the trees as his food (verse 29). This provision was also to be given to all of the remainder of God’s living creatures, such as the fish, the fowl, and the cattle. These things were to be given to man and the animals. They were not to be earned. From the first day of man’s existence, he was designed to live by God’s grace and God’s provision.

God created a paradise and placed man in that paradise. He had all of his needs provided for. He had significance, in that he had a purpose and he had the rest of God’s creation under him. And he had security, in that he

Biblical Psychology had a provision from God. This should have been enough for him. But he wanted more, and the results for that desire for more are still being experienced today.

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7)

Man is composed of a body, a soul, and a human spirit. It says that God breathed the “breath of life” into Ad- am. In the original Hebrew, the word for “breath” is also translated as “spirit” (Proverbs 20:27). Therefore, we can say that God breathed the spirit of life into Adam. This is important because we need to understand the order of creation, and also the way in which God designed man and planned for him to live his life. God took a lifeless lump of dirt, the “dust of the ground,” and created man from it. But the first thing that had to happen was for God to breathe the spirit of life into that lifeless body. Only then would the body and soul come to life. The human spirit had to come first, then the soul and the body.

This breath that came out of God’s mouth was the Holy Spirit. It all starts with the Holy Spirit giving life to the human spirit, which in turn gives life to the soul and the body. Jesus Christ did the same thing when He breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive ye the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22). And yet there are still people who read the Bible, but deny the deity of Christ.

The point, then, is that human life is 100% dependent upon God. This life comes into play by the interaction of the Holy Spirit and the human spirit. This is how God created man. This is how God saves man (John 20:22). And this is how God keeps a man (Galatians 3:3). Anything else is foolish.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die (Genesis 2:16-17)

The Garden of Eden contained many trees, amongst which were the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (verse 9). How many trees were there in the garden? Hundreds? Thousands? Millions? We really cannot know. But there must have been very many. Imagine, if you can, God saying to Adam, “All this is yours to enjoy. You can eat freely of any tree that you choose. I have given you a free will and I want you to exercise it in the garden that I have made for you. You are free to enjoy, as you choose, all that I have created for you.” What a gift that must have been. But there was one small stipulation. Adam was not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge.

What we have here is a picture of true Christian liberty. An innumerable number of trees and only one from which Adam could not eat. And why would he want to eat from that tree? After all, it was a tree that would produce death. This is the life that God planned for Adam. And it is also the life that God has available for His people. The life of the Christian is often viewed as restrictive. But it is, in fact, a life of liberty. The unbeliever has only one tree from which he can eat, the Tree of Knowledge. It is a miserable tree. It is the tree of sin, bondage, and death. So why would anyone want it? The Christian, on the other hand, has a great many trees, including the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life speaks of the Cross. The Christian chooses life and liberty, while the unbeliever chooses death and bondage.

Free Will And Family

And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him (Genesis 2:18)

God made man for relationships. Specifically, this speaks of marriage. But this principle of not being alone can be extended to relationships with any and all believers. We are told by God to be around other believers and 12

Biblical Psychology not to turn our backs on those times when believers get together, such as Church services (Hebrews 10:25). Body Life, as we call it, is a vital part of a Christian’s life. The early Church met daily, with great joy and gladness, with the result that the Church grew (Acts 2:46-47).

This body of believers, the Body of Christ, is a vital provision. It is the place where believers are both encouraged and exhorted. It is the place where Bible doctrines are taught. It is the place where people get to know God. It is the place where people learn to pray. Certainly, individual believers need to spend time alone with God. Jesus spent a great deal of time alone with His Father. But time of fellowship with other believers is equally important.

And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof (Genesis 2:19)

Once again, we see Adam’s free will operating as God had intended. Adam named the animals himself. He did not ask God what names they should have. Did it really matter what names were given? Probably not. God wanted Adam to enjoy His creation, just as He wants all of His children to enjoy what He has given to them (1 Timothy 6:17). And part of that enjoyment is exercising the free will that God gave to man. Do you think Ad- am had fun naming the animals? Do you think he experienced great joy as he ran around the garden exploring God’s creation? Do you think he was in awe at the beauty and diversity of God’s handiwork? Quite possibly.

We also see a man who had a fertile and imaginative mind. He had a God-given ability to name the animals. He was creative. Maybe he watched the way in which the animals behaved and named then accordingly. Or maybe the names he gave to them actually affected their natures and their behavior. Or maybe the naming was arbitrary. We do not really know, but we do know that Adam’s mind was fruitful.

But what about God? What was He thinking? Where was He when all of this was going on? He was right there with Adam. We see that God brought the animals to Adam to be named. God was right there, enjoying fellowship with His finest creation. And this is the point. God was not so concerned with how Adam named the animals. He just wanted to spend time with him. He wanted to experience the joy of seeing Adam grow, just as a human father also loves it when his young child performs some new task or achieves some new goal.

Adam’s fellowship with God could also have had an impact on his decision making. While Adam chose the names, he did it in the presence of God. This is an important lesson. Fellowship with God must always precede major decisions. When man spends time with God, he thinks more clearly and makes better decisions.

Man is designed not just for fellowship with fellow-believers, but also for fellowship with God. Minor tasks and steps of faith, no matter how small, are a delight to our Heavenly Father. What man does is not so important, as long as it is not sin. The important point is that God wants to be there with him. He wants to be part of it. And He wants to be part of man’s life.

… for Adam there was not found an help meet for him (Genesis 2:20)

Man is special to God, His greatest creation. This is why God gave man dominion over creation. Not only is man the only creature created in God’s image, but he is also the only one that has a spirit. Animals have souls and bodies, but they do not have spirits. This is why none of the animals were compatible with him as a help mate.

This is also why God does not want Believers to be married to unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14). The spirit in the Believer is alive, being fed by the Holy Spirit. But in the unbeliever, that spirit is either dead or missing.

Biblical Psychology

He is, in effect, just like one of the animals. He has a soul and a body, but no spirit. Therefore, he is not compatible with the Believer.

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:25)

Man was created with no concept of a self-life. He was naked, but this did not bother him. He was not conscious of himself, only of God. This God-consciousness meant that he was not concerned about himself. He was not trying to protect himself. He saw no reason to cover himself up or to put up barriers.

With God at the center of their lives, Adam and Eve were free to enjoy each other. They would have seen each other as God had made them. They would have been able to enjoy the intimacy with each other, not just in a sexual manner but also in every other area of their relationship. They would have been totally open to each other and would have experienced no fear in their relationship.

Man was also created with a clean conscience. He was created without sin, and so he had no reason to feel shame. The relationship between Adam and Eve would have been pure, as it was a God-given relationship with a God-given provision.

The relationship between the conscience and the consciousness of man is evident. As long as man’s focus is on God, sin is not an issue. This is equally important in our marriages and in our relationships. When we focus on Christ in other believers and even the potential for Christ in unbelievers, we do not see their sin and we do not judge them. Finally, when we focus on Christ in ourselves, we feel clean and forgiven. This sets us free. But that freedom was about to change.

The Fall

… And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat (Gene- sis 3:1-6)

Eve’s thinking was subjected to three sources of initiation – (1) thoughts from Satan, (2) impulses from her senses, and (3) desires from her emotions. The first initiation was from Satan. He is subtle and can appear very appealing to the undiscerning mind. In the case of Eve, he started with a simple question, “Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” But his question was incomplete. He left out the consequences of disobedience to God’s first and only commandment. He neglected to include, “for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Eve recognized this and attempted to correct Satan, but she added something. She added, “neither shall ye touch it.” Satan had left something out of God’s commandment and Eve had added something to God’s commandment, both of which are explicitly forbidden by God (Revelation 22:18-19). Satan was now in a position to plant a thought into Eve’s mind. He said to her, “Ye shall not surely die …”

The second initiation was from Eve’s senses and what she “saw.” Satan had given her a thought and now her senses would confirm that thought. Satan had said, “Ye shall not surely die.” Eve’s senses agreed with Satan, saying that the tree was “good for food.” Satan had said, “your eyes shall be opened.” Eve’s senses agreed with Satan, saying that the tree was “pleasant to the eyes.” Satan had said, “ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” Eve’s senses agreed with Satan, saying that it was “a tree to be desired to make one wise.” Satan had deceived Eve with a thought. And now her senses were deceiving her also.

The third initiation was from Eve’s emotions. The tree was to be “desired.” In the original Hebrew, the word for “desired” is also translated as “covet” in the Tenth Commandment (Exodus 20:17). Desire and covetous- 14

Biblical Psychology ness are emotional responses. Eve’s emotions desired what the Tree of Knowledge had to offer. Objective truth no longer mattered. The fact that God had told Adam and Eve not to eat of this tree was irrelevant. And the fact that God had told them that they would die was no longer important. Eve wanted the fruit. And to her, that was all that mattered. Her thinking was wrong. Her emotions were unbalanced. Now it was time for her will to be disobedient as she ate of the fruit.

The Tree of Knowledge turned out to be a tree of death, a tree of lust, and a tree of desire. The tree contained knowledge that man was never designed to possess. The result was fallen man in a fallen world. The result was the human race in bondage to “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16).

The fall involved a “shift” from a life of faith to a life of sight. Prior to the fall, Adam and Eve had lived lives that were totally based upon God’s provision and God’s truth. He had taken care of all of their needs, including those in their souls. At the fall, however, the objectivity of God’s truth was replaced by the subjectivity of man’s soul operating independently from God. The rule of the human spirit over man’s soul was replaced by the rule of his senses. And thinking with God was replaced by thinking with the emotions.3

Jesus received similar initiations from Satan in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1-10). Each of the three temptations mentioned in this passage can be correlated with one of the three lusts mentioned above. Satan tempted Him with food, relating to “the lust of the flesh.” He showed Him the kingdoms of the world, relating to “the lust of the eyes.” And he tempted Him to operate in His Deity, relating to “the pride of life.” But Jesus refused to get drawn into an argument. And He refused to be tempted. Instead, He simply replied with, “it is written.” The living Word quoted the written Word, living by “every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Mat- thew 4:4) and passing the test that Adam and Eve had failed. He did not add to the Word. He did not subtract from the Word. And He did not engage in vain philosophical arguments. He realized that the Scriptures stand on their own and do not need any help.

Thinking has a direct impact on the emotions. Thinking God’s thoughts produces healthy emotions. Thinking “Throne Words”4 results in emotions that respond with peace and joy. But meditating on thoughts that come from Satan always results in unhealthy and unstable emotions. Thinking is crucial to the believer’s psychological well-being. Watchman Nee said, “man’s mind is a battlefield.”5 Thinking affects every aspect of his soul, including his emotions and his will. Therefore, it is very important that the believer is careful with respect to

3 The term “Thinking with the emotions” was coined by Pastor Carl Stevens. It simply refers to thinking that is based upon the subjectivity of man’s emotions rather than thinking that is based upon the objectivity of God’s Word 4 Throne Words – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 5 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 8, Chapter 1, The Mind a Battlefield 15

Biblical Psychology what he reads, what he hears, and how he thinks. Thoughts that do not come from God, no matter how “good” they might appear will eventually have an adverse effect on his soul.

The fall has led some to believe that the emotions are a bad thing and that they have no part in the lives of healthy, Spirit-filled Christians. This is definitely not the case. Healthy emotions are a beautiful gift from God. They are the way in which man appreciates everything that God has given to him. The order, however, is important. God’s objective truth comes first, then faith in that truth, and finally healthy emotions that come about from a life lived by faith in that truth. Thinking with God results in healthy emotions. But when man does it the other way around and allows his emotions to be his guide, his life falls apart.

The Tree of Knowledge appeared to be a source of food, pleasure, and wisdom. What is wrong with that? Surely God would have wanted man to have possessed these things. Jesus was concerned that His followers would have something to eat (Matthew 15:32). At God’s right hand are “pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). And God wants to give His wisdom to anyone who asks for it (James 1:5). But the Tree of Knowledge was not to be the source of these provisions. Instead, God had provided many other trees that were “good for food” and “pleasant to the eyes” (Genesis 2:9), trees of which God had said they could freely eat (Genesis 2:16). And God had also provided a better source of wisdom, the Tree of Life. The Bible refers to wisdom as a tree of life (Proverbs 3:13 & 18). Ultimately, God is the only source of life. He is the Tree of Life. Every other provision produces death.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons (Genesis 3:7)

The consequences of their disobedience were immediate. When God made His appearance, they hid themselves from His presence because they were afraid (verse 8 through 10). There were three results of the fall. The first thing result was shame (verse 7). They saw that they are naked, so they tried to cover themselves. The issue was not that they were naked, but that their eyes were opened. They always were naked, they just never realized. Shame was not necessary, because this was the way in which God created them.

The second result was guilt (verse 8). They knew they were wrong, so they tried to cover up their guilt by making aprons of fig leaves. Their efforts, a work of the flesh, achieved nothing. They were still guilty and they knew it, so they hid themselves from the presence of God.

The final result was fear (verse 10). They heard God’s voice and they were afraid. God had told them that they would die if they ate of the tree. Well, they did eat of the tree, and now it appeared that God was coming to execute judgment.

When confronted by God, they played the blame-game (verses 12 and 13). They made excuses for their own behavior by accusing others. Adam blamed Eve. He even suggested that God Himself was to blame by referring to Eve as, “the woman whom thou gavest to be with me.” Eve then blamed the serpent. This is still going on. Man does not want to be held accountable for his actions. He still makes excuses and accuses others (Ro- mans 2:15). But God was not interested in their excuses and their accusations. He held all three accountable for their actions – Adam, Eve, and the serpent (verses 14 through 19).

The Promise Of A Savior

Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them (Genesis 3:21)

All of their efforts to deal with the consequences of their disobedience came to nothing. They made aprons of fig leaves, but that was not sufficient to cover up the problem. They hid from God, but there is nowhere to go

Biblical Psychology to hide from an omnipresent and omniscient God. And they tried to pass the blame onto others, but God would have none of it.

It was only when God provided a covering of His own that the problem would be dealt with. This sacrifice would point man to the Cross of Calvary, where Jesus Christ would die for the sins of men. All of their efforts were pointless, it had to be God. It has to be God in our lives also. He is the only one who can deal with our problems. Our own self-effort will produce no change in our behavior and no healing in our souls. Something had to die to produce a covering for Adam and Eve. Someone would have to die to make the payment for sin. And it is only when the “Old Man” dies that the eternal, divine life of Jesus Christ can enter into our lives to produce the healing we so desperately need.

From the fall of man (verse 6) to God’s provision (verse 21) we see three things – (1) man’s problems were caused when Adam and Eve tried to do it without God, (2) man tried hopelessly to remedy his problem, and (3) it is only Jesus Christ, through His Cross, who can provide the remedy. The student of Biblical Psychology will see this picture repeated throughout the entire Bible.

Consequences Of The Fall

And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell (Genesis 4:3-5)

Various theories have been put forward as to why God accepted Abel’s offering, but rejected Cain’s. What is clear from the text, however, is that Abel put God first and gave Him his best. (The word “fat” frequently refers to that which is best.) It is also clear that Abel’s offering was given by faith, the only way in which one can please God (Hebrews 11:4-6). Biblical faith brings with it the idea that man gives everything to God and he trusts Him to be the source of his provision. He does not try to figure it out, as Adam and Eve did. Nor does he try to be his own provision.

Back in the previous chapter, Adam and Eve made a decision to trust in themselves rather than in God, and the result was sin and death. They were cast out of the garden of Eden and lost their precious fellowship with God (Genesis 3:24). Abel, on the other hand, chose to trust God rather than himself, and the result was God’s acceptance.

But what about Cain? Nowhere does the Bible say that Cain trusted God. Nor do we read that he put God first in his life. It appears that he was just “doing his own thing.” His heart was not right with God. He quickly became angry and sad. He began to feel sorry for himself.

If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him (Genesis 4:7)

God had a provision Cain, as He always does. God basically said to Cain, “If you trust Me, then you will be accepted, just like your brother Abel. But if you choose not to trust Me, then you will become a slave to sin. And then you will create a religious system as a means to ‘rule over’ that sin.” God gave Cain a way out. He gave him a provision. But that would have meant that Cain would have to trust God, something he was not willing to do. His heart was not right with God and he was proud.

Rather than choose God’s provision, Cain decided instead to murder his brother (verse 8). Pride led to jealousy and eventually to murder. Clearly Cain could not “rule over” his sin nature, but was instead in bondage to it.

Biblical Psychology

Faith was God’s provision for Cain, just as it is God’s provision for all of mankind. But pride is the mortal enemy to faith. The two cannot coexist.

Throughout this entire story, God was continually initiating grace and mercy to Cain. All Cain had to do was to receive it by faith. That is all anyone ever has to do. We are told to live by faith. We are told that this is how God’s people must live (Habakkuk 2:4). Faith saves us, faith keeps us, and faith enables us to function. With- out faith, we quickly enter into psychological problems. We become anxious, fearful, irrational, unstable, etc. Most, if not all, psychological problems can be traced back to a life without faith.

As God continued to initiate grace and mercy, Cain continued to live a life centered on himself. He lied to God (verse 9). He complained about his punishment (verse 13). And he even blamed God for his predicament (verse 14). Nowhere do we read that Cain had any remorse. He didn’t care about God, only about himself. This is normal, it seems, for those who refuse to live by faith and receive God’s provision for life. Cain seemed to be saying that God was unfair. People are continually saying that God is unfair and unloving. But the Cross is the ultimate proof that this is not the case.

As we close this chapter, we see that man’s problems are deeply rooted in a heart that is proud and is not right with God. We also see that there is only one solution, and that solution is death.

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 3 The Heart

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23)

The heart, in either the singular or the plural, is mentioned in the Bible more than 900 times, which is about as many times as the combined total for the soul and the spirit. The heart, in physical terms, is also the organ which pumps the life-giving blood around the human body. We read that “the life of the flesh is the blood” (Leviticus 17:11), so the heart which pumps that blood must be a source or a channel of that life. Clearly, the heart is an important subject, yet it is also one of the most neglected and misunderstood parts of man.

The “issues of life” refer the details of man’s life, including both those which are temporal and those which are eternal. Nowhere in the Word of God do we read that these issues proceed from man’s soul. We do not even read that they proceed from his spirit. Instead, we read that it all starts with the heart.

The heart is the center of man’s moral character, in the same way as the soul can be thought of as the center of man’s personality. Good and evil both proceed from the heart. Godliness, spirituality, and worldliness also proceed from the heart. It doesn’t matter what kind of personality a man has. It really does not matter whether or not he is “nice.” The real issue is the content of his heart.

The heart may be defined as the following : • The premise for all motivational thinking. • The supreme center of communication for all the thoughts of the mind, decisions of the will, and ap- propriations of truth. • The center of operations for behavior. More simply, it is that which most actively impacts man’s thoughts, man’s speech, and man’s behavior.

The Word of God clearly teaches us that the heart is the center of all of these things. We will see how the content and character of a man’s heart, or the lack thereof, can affect his thinking, his speech, and his behavior.

The Heart : The Center Of Man’s Thoughts, Words And Actions

For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: … (Proverbs 23:7)

Thinking is where it begins. Thoughts can and will become words and eventually actions. But man’s thinking starts in his heart, not in his mind. Why would this be the case? Surely thinking is just that – thinking! Would we not expect the mind to simply think rational thoughts and to simply understand basic concepts? The problem is that man’s thinking and understanding have been darkened and alienated from God’s thoughts because of his blind and hard heart (Ephesians 4:18). Because of the heart, then, the mind of the unregenerate person and the carnal believer is not able to think clearly.

The Bible is full of examples of thoughts that originated in the heart. Abraham said in his heart that a 100- year-old man and his 90-year-old wife could not have a child (Genesis 17:17). Esau plotted in his heart to kill his brother, Jacob (Genesis 27:41). Jesus knew the thoughts that came out of the evil hearts of the Scribes (Matthew 9:4). Many people reasoned in their hearts whether or not Jesus was the Christ (Luke 3:15).

When two people meditate on a common subject, their thoughts might be completely different. Both might have a sincere desire to know the truth and to come to the “correct” and “logical” conclusion in their thinking. But only the one with a pure heart will actually come to the right conclusion. Only one will find the truth. The other will think he is right, and no amount of arguing will convince him otherwise. We might look at him and 19

Biblical Psychology think to ourselves, “Why is he not getting it? It is so obvious.” But his heart has affected his thinking, with the result that he cannot think clearly.

Man is confused. The Bible tells us that this comes from God. Because of man’s disobedience, God strikes him with madness, blindness, and confusion (Deuteronomy 28:28). This confusion has affected the Jewish people, and it affects them even today. Paul talks about this, talking about a veil that covers their hearts whenever the Law is read (2 Corinthians 3:2). The same is true today of disobedient and rebellious people. They may read the Bible or listen to messages, but there is a veil and they are unable to comprehend what is being communicated.

Ravi Zacharias has stated many times that people’s objections to the Gospel are not intellectual, they are moral. For example, he once said, “A man rejects God neither because of intellectual demands nor because of scarcity of evidence. A man rejects God because of a moral resistance that refuses to admit his need for God.”6 And John Guest said, “The real issue is not intellectual but moral. Those resisting the Gospel may use a pleth- ora of intellectual objections to the Christian claims on their lives, but you can pretty much count on it that the apparent intellectual skepticism is a smoke screen to avoid dealing with the immoral lifestyles or ideas they loathe to relinquish or change.”7 No matter how convincing an argument a person might give, people still choose not to believe. They make this choice based not upon intellectual grounds, but upon moral grounds. But when confronted, they always claim that their objection is intellectual. They claim that there is not enough evidence to believe, even though the heavens clearly declare God’s glory (Psalm 19:1) and God’s righteousness (Psalm 97:6). Their minds are deceived by a wicked heart. It is evident, then, that a moral foundation, based upon a pure heart, must be the basis of rational thinking.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh (Luke 6:45)

After a man’s thoughts come a man’s words. In this passage, Jesus is talking about fruit. A good tree will bring forth good fruit, while an evil tree will bring forth evil fruit. Man’s words are the fruit of his heart. This is a simple law that cannot be changed.

What is the purpose of speech? It all depends on the condition of one’s heart. The person with a pure heart will speak words of love and edification, words that will “minister grace unto the hearer” (Ephesians 4:29). He will want to communicate truth, not for his own benefit, but with love for the hearer (Ephesians 4:15). His communication will always be for the benefit of others, not for himself.

On the other hand, the person with a defiled heart will manipulate the truth for his own purpose. His communication might be rude and vulgar. It might also be cultured, polite, and sophisticated. His words might seem nice and good, but if they are sourced in the wrong kind of heart then they are still evil. He may seem to be telling the truth, but his “truth” is a subtle lie. He will bend the truth of the Bible (Romans 1:25) and might even appear to be a religious person. He may flatter people, but his words are still wicked and he still speaks death (Psalm 5:9). And he might be a smooth talker and a soft talker, but behind his words are thoughts of war (Psalm 55:21).

6 The Case For Faith Lee Strobel Conclusion: The Power Of Faith 7 Is Your Church Ready? Motivating Leaders to Live an Apologetic Life Ravi Zacharias and Norman Geisler The Church as the Heart of Apologetics 20

Biblical Psychology

… For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness … (Mark 7:20-23)

… but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you (Romans 6:17)

Thoughts become words, and then they become actions. Man’s heart will either lead him into evil behavior or it will lead him to obedience to God’s teaching. The defiled heart, which is inclined to do evil, cannot obey the moral commandments given in the Bible. This is another law and it cannot be violated.

Abimelech had integrity in his heart, so he would not touch Isaac’s wife (Genesis 20:5-6). He had the opportunity, seeing that Isaac had said she was his sister. Abimelech’s good heart resulted in good behavior. David had it in his heart to build a house for God (1 Kings 8:18). And Daniel made a decision in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food and drink (Daniel 1:8). But many did not have such integrity. The Jewish people did whatever their evil hearts led them to do (Jeremiah 7:24). Many turned from God and followed their hearts (Deuteronomy 29:19), while still considering themselves to be blessed.

It is not just the actions themselves that are important. The heart behind the action is just as important, if not more important. Man can be fooled. He might not be able to discern the true motivation behind another person’s behavior. But God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). He saw all of the good works of Amaziah, but He also saw that these works were not done from a perfect heart (2 Chronicles 25:2). Finally, God has raised the standard so high that man is considered to have committed sinful acts even when he only thinks about them. Jesus, talking about anger and lust, said that “whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28).

At the end of this chapter, there are lists related to two types of hearts. One list refers to the old, defiled heart. And the other refers to the new, pure heart. We will discuss shortly in this chapter the origin of these two hearts and the differences between them. These two hearts have very different characteristics. The old heart is murderous, adulterous, and rebellious. But the new heart is loving, tender, and obedient. It is easy to see how these two types of heart would result in two so totally different types of behavior.

The Heart : The Seat Of Love And Wisdom

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:5)

The love of God is central to the operation of the new, pure heart. God, through His Holy Spirit, has placed His love into this new heart. There are four Greek words which can be translated as love. God’s love, or agape love, is an unconditional love. It is this love that that He has put into the new heart and it is the love that moti- vates the Spirit-filled believer who is operating from that new heart.

Paul’s great “Love Chapter” – 1 Corinthians 13 – talks about the absolute necessity of God’s agape love in the life of the believer. This ties into the operation of the new heart because the first three verses talk about thoughts (verse 2), speech (verse 1), and behavior (verse 3). Paul makes it abundantly clear that the operation of man’s heart amounts to nothing unless that heart is operating out of God’s love. It doesn’t matter how smart a person is, if he doesn’t have God’s love then he is nothing. It doesn’t matter how eloquent a person is, if he doesn’t have God’s love then his words are pointless noise. And it doesn’t matter how “good” and self- sacrificing a person is, if he doesn’t have God’s love then his good works amount to nothing.

Luke speaks of a man’s love for the Lord proceeding first from his heart, and then from his soul, body and mind (Luke 10:27). This is because the only love that God can accept is His own agape love, a love which God Himself first puts into a man’s heart. Some Greek texts even speak of this love proceeding out of the heart 21

Biblical Psychology and into the soul, into the body and into the mind.8 This is an interesting thought, and one that seems to be consistent with God’s love in man starting first from his heart and then spreading throughout the remainder of his being. But we cannot be 100 percent certain that this was Luke’s intention when he wrote his Gospel.

When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; (Proverbs 2:10)

The heart is closely connected with wisdom, as we can see in the opening verse of this chapter. The books of Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes contain 243 verses that refer to the heart. God put wisdom in Solomon’s heart (1 Kings 3:9-12). Ezra hid the Word of God in his heart so that he would not sin (Psalm 119:11). This is wisdom. Holding on to mercy and truth is wisdom (Proverbs 3:3). Trusting God with all your heart is wisdom (Proverbs 3:5). Receiving instruction and correction is wisdom (Proverbs 10:8). Being satisfied from above is wisdom (Proverbs 14:14). Inclining yourself to hear and apply the Word of God is wisdom (Proverbs 22:17). And so the list goes on.

Caution is needed, however. Satan’s downfall was related to his wisdom (Ezekiel 28:12-19). He was “full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty.” Both of these characteristics became sources of pride in his heart. He thought he was as wise as God and in his proud heart he said his five infamous “I will” statements (Isaiah 14:12-14). It was Eve’s covetous desire for wisdom that led to the Fall (Genesis 3:6). And in Ecclesiastes, Solomon’s own words reveal the ruin that came because of his desire for more wisdom. God gave Solomon more wisdom than any other man. He gave him all the wisdom he could ever need. But nowhere in the Scriptures do we ever read of Solomon seeking counsel from a prophet or from another man of God. His wisdom made him proud and he wanted more. He gave his heart to “seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven” (Ecclesiastes 1:13). This was not the wisdom that God gave to him or that God wanted him to possess. The result was some very pitiful and wasted years.

The Heart : The Source Of Faith

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God … (Psalm 14:1 & Psalm 53:1)

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Romans 10:10)

Faith starts in the heart. This is where God has placed eternity (Ecclesiastes 3:11). It is here that the battle of faith takes place. The fool says there is no God. This is a decision of the heart. He has decided that this world and this life are all that there is, even though God has put an eternal seed into his heart. God has given sufficient faith to every man (Romans 12:3). He has declared His glory in the heavens (Psalm 19:1) and He has sown His Word (Mark 4:1-20). But the hard and shallow hearts of men have refused to use that faith to receive that Word.

Unbelief is the greatest of all sins. It is the only sin that God cannot forgive. Jesus said, “All sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men … But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy [Spirit] hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation” (Mark 3:28-29). Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is simply refusing to believe in Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit initiates to man’s heart and leads him to saving faith in Christ. But man’s “evil heart of unbelief” (Hebrews 3:12) resists these initiations. God says that unbelief is evil. This

8 Without going into this too deeply, the contrast is between two separate words translated as with in this verse. The Greek word ek, followed by a genitive noun, talks about love flowing out of something, in this case the heart. The Greek word en, followed by a dative noun, talks about love flowing into something, in this case the soul, the strength and the mind 22

Biblical Psychology sounds harsh. But at the root of unbelief is the “Monster Sin”9 of pride. It is pride in man’s heart that hardens him so that he will not receive the Gospel of grace. It is pride that causes him to resist God.

The “Parable of the Sower” (Luke 8:11-15) is a story of four heart attitudes. It shows us quite clearly the role the heart has in the realm of faith. This faith is not only the faith that saves the believer; it is also the faith that causes the believer to live a victorious life walking with the Lord.

Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved (Luke 8:11-12)

The first heart is a hard or an unbelieving heart. Before a person gets saved, there must first be a pre-salvation work in his heart. When he gets saved, God gives him a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26). But this does not happen until after he believes. This means that the pre-salvation work must involve the old heart. God initiates to this heart, breaking down the hard exterior until He finds a way in.

But this heart is hard. The Word has no penetration. The seed “bounces off” and lands on the “way side.” No amount of argument or investment is going to make a difference. The greatest preachers, teachers, and apolo- gists in the world will get nowhere. This heart has resisted the Holy Spirit. It has resisted God, so it is pointless to think that a mere man will have any more success. But as long as he lives, there is still hope. God can still “break up [the] fallow ground” (Hosea 10:12) and open up a person’s heart to the Gospel, just as He did with Lydia (Acts 16:15).

This heart is hard to the Word of God and has no receptivity. Instead, Satan comes and literally takes the Word “out of their hearts.” There is a war for the hearts and souls of man. God is sowing, but Satan is stealing. His purpose is to prevent men from being saved. This kind of heart submits to Satan’s plan. This kind of heart refuses salvation.

They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away (Luke 8:13)

The second heart is a shallow heart. It is still the old heart. There is some receptivity to the Word of God. And the person with this type of heart is saved. He “passed the test” in the preceding verse. But there is no depth. He is happy when everything is going well. But when the trials come along (as they inevitably will), he will lose heart and fall away.

9 The Monster Sin Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 23

Biblical Psychology

It should be stated at this time that this book is written from a Finished Work perspective. There are many teachers out there that would like us to believe that when a person falls away, he loses his salvation. But such a position is contrary to the doctrine of Eternal Security. The Greek word translated as “fall away” literally means to no longer live by faith. The Galatians were saved by faith, but chose to revert to living under the Mo- saic Law. They had stopped living by faith, but Paul still called them “brethren” (Galatians 1:2). In the same way, this believer is still a brother. He has just chosen to stop living by faith.

Living by faith is very important for the believer. This is how he develops roots and grows. These roots grow down deep into the new heart. This happens during the good times and the easy times (which do not last for long). He takes little steps of faith and the roots of faith grow deeper. Then, when the hard times and the temptations come, he is ready to stand firm. He now has deep roots, and deep roots result in deep faith.

Too often a new believer is overly anxious to serve God. He believes he is ready to conquer the world for Christ. He is very excited and seems to have a great deal of zeal. But he is shallow and has no roots. When trouble comes, he reverts to his old lifestyle in the world. He is still saved, but he is no longer living for God. Meanwhile, other believers simply sit and wait. They have no obvious fruit. Some might even look down on such believers. But they are getting to know God. These are the ones who come through when times get tough.

And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection (Luke 8:14)

The third heart is a divided heart. As with the shallow heart, it is still the old heart. The Word of God is able to develop roots in such a heart, but the roots are not exclusive. Such a person is not “sold-out” for Christ. He wants it both ways. He is not prepared to forsake his old lifestyle. He wants the world now and God in eternity. He believes he can serve two masters, but he cannot (Matthew 6:24).

The person with this type of heart attends regular Church services, reads his Bible, goes on outreach, attends prayer meetings, etc. But he is still listening to his old heart, which is telling him to go back to the world. One such person in the Bible was Demas. He was with Paul during his imprisonment in Rome (Colossians 4:14). It is reasonable to presume that he shared in many of Paul’s afflictions. Clearly, then, Demas was at one time a 24

Biblical Psychology great man of faith. But later on he left Paul because he “loved this present world” (2 Timothy 4:10). This should be a great lesson and an even greater warning to every believer. None of us is more than one step away from departing from the faith.

This is why John wrote, “Love not the world” (1 John 2:15). Satan would like the believer to think that the world has something to offer him and his ministry. But the only thing that the world has to offer is souls. It is an easy trap to fall into. The believer must guard himself from the initiations of the world, including those which might seem good. He must even guard himself from those initiations which seem to be very “friendly” toward Christianity but which come from another kingdom and have another agenda. Daniel “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank” (Daniel 1:8). He made a decision that he would take nothing that the world had to offer, although he would serve the world as God’s ambassador. These convictions bore much fruit.

But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience (Luke 8:15)

The fourth and final heart is a good heart. This is the only one that is the new heart. The Word of God develops deep roots in this kind of heart. Such a person lives for Christ, and for no one else. He is single-eyed, he is a living sacrifice for Christ, and his treasure is in heaven (Matthew 6:19-22).

The preceding two verses make it clear that there are two things that the believer must take care to do if he desires to live a victorious life. First, he must totally forsake the old. He must refuse the initiations that come from his old heart. And he must turn his back on the world, the flesh, and the devil. But he must also totally embrace the new. He must invest in his new heart. And he must “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). That is how Paul lived his life, and he had fruit to prove it.

The good soil of the good heart will receive God’s Word and believe it. Salvation, the most important of man’s decisions, is a faith decision that begins in his heart. It is not an intellectual matter. Nor is it an emotional matter. And the decision that a man makes with his will is a decision that can be made only when it originates in his heart. But the believer must continue to make these good decisions. Only then will the roots run deep in his heart. And only then will his life be free from the thorns of the old heart.

Biblical Psychology

The last three hearts – the shallow heart, the divided heart, and the good heart – all exhibited saving faith. All three responded to the Holy Spirit’s initiation. All three were the hearts of believers. But the last heart – the good heart – is the only one where the believer is living a victorious life of faith and living from what God has given to him in his new heart. The Bible says, “the just shall live by [his] faith” (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:38). The Greek translation of the Old Testament and the Greek in the New Testament all use the word zoe for the word “life.” This is different from the other two Greek words translated as “life,” namely bios meaning physical life and psuche meaning psychological life. This zoe life refers to spiritual life. A believer might have physical life and psychological life. He might appear to be doing very well in this world. But unless he is living a life of faith sourced in his new heart, he will not experience any real spiritual life.

The heart is important. Starting off with salvation and ending up with a loving relationship with God and His people, a man’s heart is at the center. But man’s heart has a problem. This is a problem that is at the center of his pitiful condition. But it is also a problem for which God, in His love, has a solution.

The Old Heart And The New Heart

Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart (Genesis 6:5-6)

We read very early in the Bible of the fall of Adam and Eve. We also read of the disastrous consequences in the lives of Cain and Abel. Now we read about the heart. This is the first time that the word “heart” appears in the Bible, so it worth looking carefully at this portion. What do we see when we read this portion? Basically, we see the contrast between man’s fallen heart and God’s perfect heart.

Man’s fallen heart can be characterized as follows. Its wickedness was great. Man’s heart was not just wicked, it was abounding in wickedness. Its wickedness was excessive and without limit. Man's thoughts and intentions were evil. The plans and purposes of his heart were evil. Man’s whole reason for living was to think about evil, devise evil, and commit evil. We see three words that so totally convey the absoluteness of man’s fallen condition. These three words are “every,” “only,” and “continually.” There is no room to maneuver here. When Paul wrote “in me … dwelleth no good thing” (Romans 7:18), he was simply repeating what Mo- ses had recorded a few thousand years earlier.

Man’s fallen heart is also the place where Satan initiates the evil in man. Satan’s heart is evil, and he places his evil thoughts in man’s heart. Satan “put into the heart of Judas Iscariot” to betray Jesus (John 13:2). And he filled Ananias’ heart to “lie to the Holy [Spirit]” (Acts 5:3). The heart of the unbeliever is an easy target for Satan. But the believer still has an old heart also, so he must be careful not to receive these initiations.

A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh (Ezekiel 36:26)

God’s heart was grieved when He saw the state of man’s wicked heart. It is amazing how quickly it happened. Within 6 chapters, 10 generations, and some 1,500 years, man’s total depravity was clearly evident.

God, however, had a plan. That plan was to give man a new heart. One might ask why God could not simply fix the old heart. The answer to this is simple. Man’s heart was totally depraved. It was morally bankrupt. That was its nature, and that nature could not be changed. It is interesting that while God refuses to change or fix man’s fallen heart, there are still a great many people alive today who sincerely believe that it is possible to do so. These people have always been around on this earth and they will continue to be around until God brings this present, temporal age to a conclusion and takes His people into eternity. The reason that this is interesting 26

Biblical Psychology is that man, in his pride and arrogance, actually believes that he can do what God could not do. These people believe that man’s heart is not really that bad and that it can be fixed.

But God would demonstrate quite quickly that the only way to deal with man’s fallen condition is to take out the old and bring in the new. With the flood (Genesis 7), God destroyed that which was evil and started again. He saw no point in trying to fix that which was broken and which could not be fixed. The same is true of man’s heart. God sees no point in trying to fix a heart which is, by its very nature, unfixable. His solution, then, is to start again. His solution is to take away the old and bring in the new.

So how do these two hearts differ? The old heart is a heart of stone. It is cold and hard. The Ten Command- ments were written on tablets of stone, but it was impossible for man with his old heart to keep them. This heart is basically a heart of death. In contrast, the new heart is a heart of flesh. It is warm and soft. By “flesh,” God is not referring to man’s old sin nature. Instead, He is simply saying that it is alive. Such a heart can provide life to man through the life-giving blood. God is able to write His law in such a heart, something He does in the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34). With this new heart, man is now able to keep God’s law. In fact, the man with this heart will find great joy in pleasing God. This new heart is not earned. Neither is it achieved through a process. It is a gift.

With the new heart comes a new perception of life. God commands light to shine into this new heart (2 Corin- thians 4:6). Understanding is no longer darkened, but is no enlightened. The light bulb comes on and the new believer is now able to see things the way God intended them to be seen. He is now able to think clearly and make sensible decisions. All of his faculties are now given a light from God through this new heart. His thinking changes, his emotions, and his decision making changes. He is a new man with a new heart, a new provision, and a new purpose.

The believer still has two hearts. The old one will go away one day, just not today. After the flood, Noah made a sweet smelling offering to God (Genesis 8:21). But God still said that “the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth.” Within a few verses, this would be proven to be true as Noah got drunk and his son, Ham, tried to uncover his sin. Noah’s offering was pleasing to God, despite the fact that God knew that he still had an evil heart. God can do this because the believer has two hearts, the old and the new. This is reassuring to us as we go through this life with two hearts. After the flood, God promised never to judge the earth again in the same fashion. This judgment was complete, evil had been destroyed, and something new had been started. The same is true with the believer. Judgment was satisfied at the Cross, the evil of Satan has been defeated, and the believer is a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). And God has promised never to repeat this judgment.

The fact that man has two hearts is important. It explains too much of why man behaves the way he does. Be- cause he has two hearts, he also has two totally different sources for his thoughts, his speech, and his behavior. This means that he can also have two totally incompatible lifestyles, as the prophet Jeremiah points out in the following portions.

Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart de- parteth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited (Jeremiah 17:5-6)

Here, Jeremiah is talking about unbelievers, who have only their old hearts, and carnal believers, who are still operating from their old hearts. Either way, they are operating from dead hearts. They are operating from hearts that have departed from God. The old heart is connected to a lifestyle of trusting in one's self and in one’s own strength. Such a person is self-centered, even if they appear “good” by man’s standard. Such a man is cursed. But how do these curses manifest themselves? There are three thoughts in this passage, all of which have counterparts later in this passage. First, his life is shallow and vain. He has no roots, just like the heath. As a believer, he is easily blown around by “every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). As an unbeliever, he is

Biblical Psychology easily ensnared by the latest trend or the latest fad (Acts 17:21). He moves easily from one new thing to another new thing. But he is in a desert, so he finds nothing to satisfy him. He tries to satisfy himself with money, career, power, friends, pleasure, intellectualism, etc. But nothing works. He might even try to satisfy himself with good works and philanthropy. He tries everything. But like Solomon, he discovers that “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12:8).

Also, he is blind to that which is good for him. God has a provision for such a man. That provision is His Son, Jesus Christ. But this man does not see it. He is so used to being dissatisfied, that he does not recognize the satisfaction which comes from God, and which comes from Him alone. He is wandering around the desert, looking for satisfaction and provision. When it comes, he does not see it. Instead, he says, “I am alright. I am just going to keep on searching until find what I am looking for.” He is depressed and lonely. He is hurt and rejected. He is tired and weary. Jesus Christ came to deal with all of these things, and many more besides. But this man still says, “No thanks.”

This man bears no fruit. He keeps returning to the parched places, much as a dog returns to his own vomit (2 Peter 2:22). It has been said that, “Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.”10 By such a standard, this man is insane. The salt land is a land where nothing can grow. In Old Testament times, the lands of conquered cities were covered in salt so that they would become infertile (Judges 9:45). Growth is simply not possible, but this man still insists on trying to do things his way.

This man looks to the world for his satisfaction. The world does have many pleasures. But the world's pleasures cannot satisfy him (Hebrews 11:24-26). The hole in a man’s heart is a bottomless pit. It is infinite, so only an infinite God can fill it. All of man’s attempts to please himself and to satisfy himself result in dissatisfaction and frustration. His self-centered and self-motivated pleasures cannot even begin to fill this void. But he still tries.

10 This statement is generally attributed to Albert Einstein 28

Biblical Psychology

Covetousness was at the root of the fall. The Tree of Knowledge was “to be desired to make one wise” (Gene- sis 3:6), which means in the Hebrew that it was something to be coveted. Covetousness is a big deal. “Thou shalt not covet” is the last commandment, and it can also be the hardest to resist. Paul had this problem. As a Pharisee, he saw himself as blameless according to the Law (Philippians 3:6). But he was also helpless when it came to covetousness (Romans 7:7). Why would this be? Because covetousness is the ultimate “me”-related sin. Man is not satisfied with what he has, so he covets what other people have. He wants more, but the more he gets the more he wants. It’s a never ending cycle. But there is hope.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit (Jeremi- ah 17:7-8)

Jeremiah now shifts his attention to Spirit-filled believers, operating from their new hearts. The contrasts are clear and startling. The Spirit-filled man is trusting God, rather than himself. Jesus Christ is now at the center of his life. The result is a blessing, rather than a curse. But how does this blessing relate to the curses mentioned previously in this passage?

His life is deep and meaningful. He heart is new, so he is developing roots. The roots run deep, so he is planted and will not move. The winds of doctrine and the latest ideas do not have any effect on him. He has found what he was looking for. He has found life. He is completely satisfied. The apostle Paul had once been the lost man, wandering in the desert. But Christ found him. He had once wanted all of the trappings of the world. But they became worthless to him (Philippians 3:7). Through having Christ at the center of his life, he learned con- tentment (Philippians 4:11). It was not always an easy life. There were trials. But Paul’s words toward the end of his life say it all, “That I may know Him” (Philippians 3:10).

This man has no worries or concerns. He does not see the heat because he is living under God’s covering. He is living by faith. He knows that trials will come, but he also knows that God will take care of him. He does not have to look for the good, because he knows that the good will come. More importantly, he is no longer anxious. He knows God and is satisfied. Whatever happens in his life, he knows that he is in God’s hand. He does not worry over what will happen to himself. David lived this way (2 Samuel 15:25). And so did the He- brew boys (Daniel 3:17-18). Paul did not count his life dear to himself (Acts 20:24). In fact, he was very much at ease when it came to his own death. For him, life was Christ and death was gain (Philippians 1:21). It was a win-win situation.

He bears fruit. Problems will come, and he knows it. There will be periods of drought, at least by sight. But he will still bear fruit. His deep roots will find water somewhere, even when there is no rain. There could be times in a believer’s life where he might not appear to be receiving anything, either from the pulpit or from private 29

Biblical Psychology study. His spiritual life might seem to be dry. These are the times to go deep and to tap the reserves. This is when deep roots are needed. These are the times where, like David, the believer experiences the “valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4). But these are also the times where the believer can experience the greatest intimacy with Christ. This man can be a pillar of the Church in times of trial and tribulation. He can flourish and bear fruit when others around him are withering through lack of refreshment. He is no longer reliant upon circumstances for his ministry; he bears fruit in the good times and the bad times.

This man is looking to Jesus Christ for his satisfaction. He is living from a different perspective. His frame of reference is the Cross and the Finished Work. He no longer has to search for satisfaction. Instead, he can just enjoy God. The Cross has taken care of his defective heart. The hole has been filled by Jesus Christ, the infinite God and the only one who can give satisfaction. The “me”-centered life has been replaced by the Christ- centered life. He no longer needs to be the provision for his life because Christ is his provision. Christ is his life (Colossians 3:4).

This man has found the waters that flow from the “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1). He was found these waters and has been healed of all his wounds. He is healthy and is now able to be a source of “rivers of living water” (John 7:38). Because he is so totally satisfied with God, he no longer has to covet what others have. Instead, he stops being a taker and starts being a giver. And as he gives, by faith, God keeps pouring into him. There is no end to God’s provision, so there is no end to the cycle of receiving and giving. Consequently, there is no end to this man’s satisfaction.

Dr. Larry Crabb talks about “Deficit Motivation,” which he describes as “a desire prompted by a felt lack and designed to supply what is missing.”11 This is a picture of the man operating from the old heart. He is missing something that only God can supply. This great lack in his life becomes his motivation, as he seeks to satisfy his needs. These needs are security and significance. And when they are not satisfied, the result can be fear, guilt, depression, resentment, frustration, anxiety, etc.

Man feels insecure, so he tries to find a secure footing for his life. He gets a good job or seeks a successful career, but he is still at the mercy of the economy. He saves for retirement, but he might die before he gets to enjoy it. He surrounds himself with friends that he thinks he can trust, but they end up betraying him. He looks for security in his nation or his company, but he never finds it. He realizes his search is futile, so he “has fun” in order to forget about his problem. He starts drinking. He runs around with women. He looks for the adrena- line rush of dangerous sports. But nothing satisfies his need for security.

Man also feels insignificant, so he tries to make a name for himself. He seeks fame and reputation, but he soon realizes that it is lonely at the top. He volunteers to help people, but he gets envious when a bigger donor comes along. He longs to be part of something big, but he gets frustrated when he realizes that he is not needed. He realizes that no one cares and that his life means nothing to anyone. He throws in the towel and gives

11 Effective Biblical Counseling Dr. Larry Crabb Chapter 4, Motivation 30

Biblical Psychology up on life. He no longer cares what people think about him and he no longer cares about himself. He starts to have thoughts of suicide. All of this happens because of a lack of significance.

This man needs a shift in his life. He needs to shift from the old heart to the new heart. He needs to stop trying to satisfy his needs and start letting God take care of him. The new man is “in Christ” (Colossians 1:28). This is how Jesus Christ gives man security. He is the Rock on which the new man with the new heart bases his life. The old heart builds its future on earth (Luke 6:49), which is no foundation at all. The new heart builds its future on the rock (Luke 6:48), which is a sure foundation. And, Christ is in the believer (Colossians 1:27). This is how Jesus Christ also gives man significance. He gives His people a new name (Isaiah 62:2), so that there is no need for him to make a name for himself. God gives significance to His people, they are important to Him.

With this shift comes a new frame of reference, the Cross. He reckons himself to be dead to self, but alive to Christ (Romans 6:11). He realizes that his life is no longer his own and that he has a new purpose. He moves from a natural viewpoint to a divine viewpoint. This shift is not always easy, but it is crucial. The two hearts are at odds with each other. There is a conflict between the old heart and the new heart (Galatians 5:17-18), but it is a conflict that can be won and needs to be won. With this victory, this shift then affects the mind and the emotions. Finally, the values and the behavior of the believer change. All of this, just from a new heart.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, … (Jeremiah 17:9-10)

Often when we read this verse from Jeremiah, the focus is on the wicked nature of the heart. But the first thing we read about the heart is that it is deceitful. Only then do we read that it is wicked. Why is this important? Because a wicked heart that was not deceitful would not be such a problem. We would see it as wicked and respond accordingly. The wicked heart that is also deceitful can easily convince a man that it is a good heart.

The heart, on its own, cannot be trusted. This is the basic problem with man. It is foolish to trust the heart (Proverbs 28:26). The deceitful heart is sly and cunning. It will block the mind and confuse the thinking. Truth will be twisted and the lines between good and evil will be blurred (Isaiah 5:20). This is why statements like “follow your heart” are so dangerous. The heart might seem good and its counsel might seem right. But the heart is deceitful, so its counsel cannot be trusted. If we follow our hearts, we cannot know where they will take us.

This is why God said of the heart, “Who can know it?” The answer, of course, is God Himself. This is why we need God and His Word to guide us. God searches the heart of man and knows his thoughts (Psalm 139:23). He knows the secrets of the heart (Psalm 44:21). This heart might be able to fool man, but it cannot fool God. And, the believer has the Holy Spirit communing with him through the human spirit. These two make up the “candle” that God uses to search man’s inward parts (Proverbs 20:27).

Man’s heart is his motivation, but it needs to be tried. God has provided two complementary means for achiev- ing this. The first is subjective. It is the Person of the Holy Spirit, speaking through the human spirit. This is one way a man can say that he hears from God. The second is objective. It is the Word of God. The heart’s thoughts can and should be filtered through what the believer reads in the Bible. In addition to these two “vertical” forms of accountability, God has also given the believer a local assembly and a pastor-teacher. Body Life is important to the believer’s spiritual, mental, and emotional health. These two “horizontal” forms of accountability provide objectivity outside of the believer and, therefore, free him from the influence of his deceitful heart.

Biblical Psychology

My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways (Proverbs 23:26)

This is good counsel on which to end this chapter. The heart is too important and too delicate to entrust its well-being to man. Only God can be trusted with the heart. The battle over the heart is a crucial one. Many Biblical characters have failed in the area of the heart. But many have also managed to keep their hearts pure. Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel are just three such examples. Despite his sin, David was still a man after God’s heart. The new heart is perfect, but it still needs to be taken care of. It still needs investment. It still needs to “grow in grace” (2 Peter 3:18). There are many disciplines in the believer’s life that will impact his heart. These include living by faith and Body Life. Because they affect the heart, they are important for the spiritual health of the believer.

The heart is a huge subject. It is the heart of the matter! In this chapter, we have only skimmed the surface. A detailed Bible study of the heart would be a great blessing for any believer. It is hoped that this chapter has sparked a desire to do just that. In the meantime, the two lists that follow provide a brief overview of the differences between the two hearts.

The Old Heart Faint heart Genesis 45:26 Isaiah 1:5 Deceitful heart Proverbs 12:20 Jeremiah 17:9 Desperately wicked heart Deuteronomy 15:9 Jeremiah 17:9 Condemning heart 1 John 3:20 Evil heart of unbelief Hebrews 3:12 Covetous heart 2 Peter 2:14 Stubborn heart Deuteronomy 2:30 Ecclesiastes 8:11 A heart full of evil and madness Ecclesiastes 9:3 A heart full of extortion and excess Matthew 23:25 A heart full of evil thoughts Genesis 6:5 A heart full of evil imaginations Genesis 8:21 A heart full of wicked imaginations Proverbs 6:18 A heart that gathers iniquity Psalm 41:6 A heart that is turned from the LORD 1 Kings 11:9 A heart that is far from God Matthew 15:8 Adulterous heart Mark 7:21 Fornicating heart Mark 7:21 Murderous heart Mark 7:21 Imperfect heart 2 Chronicles 25:2 Failing heart Genesis 42:28 Hard heart Proverbs 28:14 Romans 2:5 Proud heart 2 Chronicles 32:26 Psalm 101:5 Proverbs 21:4 Divided heart Hosea 10:2 Discouraged heart Numbers 32:9 Deuteronomy 1:28 Deceived heart Deuteronomy 11:16 Isaiah 44:20 Naughty heart 1 Samuel 17:28 Trembling heart Deuteronomy 28:65 Exalted heart Deuteronomy 17:20

Biblical Psychology

Hosea 13:6 Double heart 1 Chronicles 12:33 Perverse heart Proverbs 12:8 Heavy heart Proverbs 12:25 Backsliding heart Proverbs 14:14 Rebellious heart Jeremiah 5:23 Lying heart Acts 5:3 Foolish heart Romans 1:21

The New Heart Strengthened heart Psalm 27:14 Psalm 73:26 Psalm 104:15 Honest heart Luke 8:15 Good heart Luke 8:15 Pure heart Proverbs 22:11 Matthew 5:8 Trusting heart Psalm 28:7 Psalm 112:7 Giving heart 2 Corinthians 9:7 Willing heart Exodus 35:5 A heart that fears God Deuteronomy 5:29 A heart that knows God Jeremiah 24:7 A heart of integrity Genesis 20:5 1Kings 9:4 A heart that is opened by the Lord Acts 16:14 Clean heart Psalm 51:10 Psalm 73:1 Contrite heart Psalm 51:17 Wise heart Exodus 35:35 Exodus 36:2 Proverbs 11:29 Understanding heart 1 Kings 3:9.12 Proverbs 8:5 Fixed heart Psalm 57:7 Faithful heart Nehemiah 9:8 New heart Ezekiel 11:19 Ezekiel 36:26 Merry heart Judges 19:6 Proverbs 15:13 Whole heart Jeremiah 24:7 Perfect heart 1 Chronicles 12:38 1 Chronicles 28:9 2 Chronicles 16:9 Upright heart 1 Kings 3:6 Purposeful heart Daniel 1:8 Acts 11:23 Prepared heart Ezra 7:10 Joyful heart Isaiah 65:14 Rejoicing heart 1 Samuel 2:1 1 Chronicles 16:10 Tender heart 2 Kings 22:19 Single heart 1 Chronicles 12:38 Acts 2:46 Ephesians 6:5 Colossians 3:22

Biblical Psychology

Sound heart Proverbs 14:30 Revived heart Psalm 57:15 Converted heart Matthew 15:13 John12:40 Acts 28:27 Loving heart Deuteronomy 6:5 Mark 12:20 Obedient heart Romans 6:17 Enlarged heart 2 Corinthians 6:11 True heart Hebrews 10:22

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 4 Body, Soul And Spirit

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart (Hebrews 4:12)

There are two distinct views in Christianity concerning the make-up of man. The first view is referred to as the dichotomous view or the dichotomy. This view states that man is made up of two parts – body and soul. It further states that the soul and the human spirit are the same and that the two terms can be used interchangeably. Supporters of this view include Charles Ryrie and Dr. Larry Crabb.

The second view is referred to as the trichotomous view or the trichotomy. This view states that man is made up of three parts – body, soul, and human spirit. It further states that the distinction between the soul and the human spirit is crucial. Supporters of this view include Watchman Nee, Andrew Murray, Bill Freeman, and Pastor Carl Stevens. Of these three distinct parts, Watchman Nee says, “The body is the ‘world- consciousness,’ the soul is the ‘self-consciousness,’ and the spirit is the ‘God-consciousness’.”12 He goes on to say that the body deals with the physical life (or bios life), the soul deals with the psychological life (or psuche life), and the spirit deals with the spiritual life (or zoe life) .13

The fact that man has both material and immaterial parts is generally accepted by all reputable theologians. The real argument concerns the make-up of that immaterial part. Dichotomists argue that God created man with a body and a living soul (Genesis 2:7). But the “breath of life” referred to in this verse can also be translated as the “spirit of life.” It should be clear, then, that God also gave man a human spirit. This spirit gave life both to man’s soul and to man’s body. And it still gives life to man’s soul and man’s body.

Dichotomists also argue that the trichotomous view leads to the replacement of the objectivity of the mind by the subjectivity of the spirit. They further argue that this anti-intellectualism causes the objective truth contained in the Word of God to be replaced by the subjective truth that comes from experience, as seen in charismatic movements. This argument is based on a misunderstanding of the trichotomy. True trichotomists understand the importance of objective truth, as contained in the Bible. But they also understand that the human mind, contained in the soul, is incapable of comprehending this truth without illumination from God. This illumination comes from the Holy Spirit through the human spirit.

This book takes the position that the trichotomous view is the correct one, using such verses as 1 Thessaloni- ans 5:23 and Hebrews 4:12 to support this position. Paul strongly differentiates between that which is “natural” (or “soulish” in the Greek) and that which is “spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15 and 1 Corinthians 15:44). This position is important as it helps to explain the differences in behavior and attitude between the believer and the unbeliever. It also helps to explain the difference between the carnal believer and the Spirit-filled believer. Understanding these differences helps the believer to live a more rewarding and fulfilling life. On the importance of this distinction, Watchman Nee says, “If believers do not know the boundary of their spirits, how can they understand the spiritual life? If they do not understand the spiritual life, how can they grow in their spiritual living? Because believers are either negligent or ignorant of the distinction between the spirit

12 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Volume 1, Chapter 1, The Spirit, The Soul, And The Body 13 The three words bios, psuche and zao are Greek words which are often used to describe the different areas of a believer’s life 35

Biblical Psychology and the soul, they never grow in their spiritual life. Moreover, many times they take something soulish as spiritual, constantly remain in a soulish living, and do not seek after spiritual things.”14

Dichotomists, however, are still able comprehend the various components and functions of the soul and spirit. The fact that they place these items in one box, as opposed to two separate boxes, does not necessarily mean that they have nothing to contribute to the field of Biblical Psychology and Biblical Counseling. Dr. Larry Crabb, for example, is a dichotomist. But he is also a well-respected and successful Biblical counselor.

The body is different from the soul and the spirit. The first is material while the second two are immaterial. The soul and the spirit, then, are similar because that are made out of the same substance. But they have different functions. The lungs and the liver are, in a sense, made out of the same substance. But they also have different functions. On this issue, Steven Waterhouse says, “There is merit in both positions. Trouble arises out of a failure to see a difference in dividing something into two parts and distinguishing different functions. One cannot fully divide chocolate from vanilla, but one can distinguish the differences easily.”15 He goes onto say that the Bible does define the soul and the spirit as different, but that there are also places in the Bible where the soul and the spirit are used interchangeably.

The Body

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul (Genesis 2:7)

The body, the material part of man, was the first part to be created. It is made up of flesh and bones (Genesis 2:23). It was created from the dust and, on its own, it is lifeless. Without God, the body has no life. It needed God for its creation and it also needs God for its normal, day-to-day operation. It is the Holy Spirit who quick- ens the believer’s body (Romans 8:11). The body should never be underestimated or viewed as something that is not so important. Jesus had a material body. John talks about this when he addresses and refutes the Gnostic heresy, which states that Jesus was only a spirit and that He did not have a physical body (1 John 1:1-2). If the Bible discusses the importance of Jesus’ body, then it follows that the material body is important.

Chemical analysis of man’s body confirms that he does indeed come from the dust. As Lewis Sperry Chafer pointed out, “One scientific authority states that 16 elements of the soil are represented in the human body. These he enumerates as follows: calcium, carbon, chlorine, fluorine, hydrogen, iodine, iron, magnesium, man-

14 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 1, Chapter 1, The Spirit, The Soul, And The Body 15 Not By Bread Alone – Dr. Steven W. Waterhouse – Chapter 6, Anthropology, Thoughts in the Issue 36

Biblical Psychology ganese, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, potassium, silicon, sodium, sulphur.”16 Man is made of dust (1 Corin- thians 1:47-48) and will return to that dust (Genesis 3:19).

The physical body should not be discounted when it comes to Biblical Psychology. How a man treats his body can have an impact on his mental attitude and even his spirit. For example, drugs and alcohol affect the body. But this poisoning of the body also has a negative impact on the mind, the emotions, and ultimately the will. This is why Paul said that is it better to be “filled with the Spirit” than “drunk with wine” (Ephesians 5:18). This does not mean that Paul was against medication when it was necessary. He instructed Timothy to take a “little wine” for his stomach and his infirmities (1 Timothy 5:23). Paul was not promoting the use of alcohol. Several scholars have suggested that the term “little wine” refers to wine that is watered down.

Paul also knew the value of physical discipline. He brought his body into submission to his mind, and ultimately to his spirit (1 Corinthians 9:27). He was not a person who was going to allow his body to control him. To this end, there are several disciplines that a person can and should have concerning his body. Proper sleep, exercise, and diet are all essential to a healthy mental attitude. Lack of sleep, for example, leads to unclear thinking. And certain foods are believed to affect a person’s dreams and emotions.

Man has control over certain areas of his life. He can choose whether or not to exercise. He can choose whether or not to have a good, healthy diet. He can choose whether or not to get enough sleep. He can choose whether or not to use drugs or alcohol. But there are things that are outside of man’s control. For example, hormonal imbalance and bi-polar disorder are outside of his control. But they both affect his thinking and his emotions. Furthermore, everyone is growing old. Such things as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease can affect anyone as they age. This needs to be kept in mind when we consider psychology.

This does not mean the physical changes to the body should always affect a person’s soul. A man who loses a limb in a car accident cannot change the fact that he is missing a limb. A woman who loses her sight cannot change the fact that she is blind. A young boy who is unable to walk from birth cannot change the fact that he will spend his entire life in a wheelchair. These conditions might not ever change, but that does not mean that these individuals need to be brought under bondage to them. Blind people run races and one-legged skiers have been known to descend mountains at speeds that would put most two-legged skiers to shame. Deaf people write books and artists with no arms use their mouths to paint masterpieces.

Often, such people do this in their own natural strength. They use soul-power to overcome their adversities, for which God gets no glory. But often there is a beautiful, spiritual component. Jacob leaned on his staff as he worshipped God, even though it was God who had made him need that staff by putting his hip out of joint (Hebrews 11:21). Blind Bartimaeus sought the Lord (Mark 10:46). Zacharias was mute because he did not believe the angel Gabriel when he told him that he and his wife would have a son in their old age. Yet, he still maintained a good attitude and prophesied about the Messiah when God restored his speech (Luke 1:67). Fi- nally, Paul gloried in his infirmities (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Man’s physical body is his way of interfacing with his environment. God gave man five senses with which to perceive this environment. These senses are sight, sound (or hearing), taste, touch, and smell. This is not an accident. God placed man in a garden. And He gave him senses with which to recognize, understand, and appreciate that garden, recognition and understanding being an objective application of the senses and appreciation being a subjective applications of the senses. Although man was designed to be a spiritual being, his senses allow him to discern that he was created for a purpose. They allow him to see that he was created for eternity and for heaven. They allow him to sense God and know God through His creation. Ultimately, man’s senses were given to him so that he could know God.

16 Systematic Theology – Lewis Sperry Chafer – Volume 2 / Chapter 13, The Material Part Of Man At Creation 37

Biblical Psychology

The Senses

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8)

The sense of sight allows man to discern color, brightness, contrast, distance, and motion. He recognizes and understands places, people, objects, obstacles, writing, and drawings. And he appreciates pictures, statues, ar- chitecture, nature, and people.

Man can use his eyes to perceive beauty, which can be both a good and a bad thing. For example, man can perceive the beauty of women (Genesis 6:2). Both Samson and David had this problem (Judges 14:1 and 2 Samuel 11:2). In Samson’s case, this led a fatal encounter with Delilah and in David’s case it led to adultery with Bathsheba and the contracted killing of her husband and his friend, Uriah the Hittite. Beauty is good. Af- ter all, it was created by God. But it can also lead to a great many problems. This is why Job made a covenant with his eyes (Job 31:1) and why Jesus talked about plucking out the eye in order to avoid temptation (Mat- thew 5:29).

Pornography might seem harmless enough. After all, some would say that no one gets hurt. But it is demean- ing to women and harmful to men. A man who uses pornography will quickly change his attitude to women and to marriage. He no longer views women in the same way that God views them. Instead, he will view them as objects for his own personal gratification. If he is married, he will start to despise his wife. She will no longer be pretty enough for him. He will start to get abusive, maybe even violent. He will start looking for a younger, more attractive replacement. Ultimately, his marriage and his family life will fall apart. The unmar- ried man will develop a wrong concept concerning marriage. In looking for a wife, he will have the wrong motivation. He will be looking for sexual gratification rather than spiritual fellowship. He will be led by his sensual desire rather than the Holy Spirit. If he does get married, both he and his wife will be unhappy and unsatisfied.

Man’s eyes can also be a hindrance to a life of faith. Paul makes a strong distinction between walking by sight and walking by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Possibly, the best Biblical support for this is the story of the 12 men Moses sent out to spy the land (Numbers 13). The men saw giants in the land and were discouraged. Only Joshua and Caleb went beyond what they saw and trusted God (Numbers 14:6-7). They chose to ignore what they saw by sight and to walk by faith, trusting in God’s promises to the people of Israel. This decision to walk by faith led to them being the only two spies that would enter the land. They would continue to walk by faith, conquering the land that God had promised to them.

Man can also use his sight to see the hand of God in his life and the lives of those around him. He can see the beauty of God’s creation (Psalm 19), as the heavens declare His glory. He can see the faithfulness of God’s provision, as Abraham did when God showed him the land that He would give to him (Genesis 13:14-15). He can see the glory and magnificence of God’s work, as the people of Israel did when they crossed over the Red Sea (Exodus 14:31). He can see God’s hand and God’s guidance, as the people of Israel did when they saw the cloud of God’s presence outside of the Tabernacle (Exodus 33:10). And he can see God’s work in other people, as the people of Israel did when they saw Moses’ face shining after he had been in God’s presence (Exo- dus 34:30).

Sight is also used in reference to perception. God spoke to His people in dreams and visions, such as Joseph (Genesis 41:22) and Daniel (Daniel 7:2). Jesus spoke in parables because the people had problems “seeing” what He had to say (Matthew 13:13). And man looks on the outward appearance, while God looks at the heart (1 Samuel 16:7). The problem is that man’s sight makes him blind (John 9:41). The Pharisees believed that they could see. But in fact their sight was a stumbling block which prevented them from seeing their Messiah. This goes all the way back to the beginning of the Bible, where Satan said to Eve, “Your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:5). The Pharisees had natural sight and the be- 38

Biblical Psychology lieved that they could discern between good and evil. But in reality, they were really only doing what was right in their own eyes (Judges 21:25).

God gave sight to man so that he could see God. But there is a problem. God said that no man can see His face and live (Exodus 33:20). The holiness of God is too great for sinful men, so that the sight of Him will strike a man dead. Furthermore, the Bible tells us, “No man hath seen God at any time” (John 1:18). Yet many people in the Bible saw God and lived. These include Jacob (Genesis 32:30), Moses (Exodus 33:11), Gideon (Judges 6:21-23), and Manoah and his wife (Judges 13:22). But perhaps the most beautiful example is when Mary Magdalene saw the risen Christ (John 20:16). Jesus said, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9).

It is through Christ that the believer sees God. But it is also through Christ that he sees himself. Jesus said, “A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father” (John 16:16). The English translation hides an important truth from the believer. The word “see” appears twice, but in different “voices.”17 The first occurrence simply states that the disciples saw Jesus; the second occurrence states that they still saw Jesus, but that the also saw themselves. The disciples did not understand that the believer can now see himself in the relationship between the Father and the Son.

And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd (John 10:16)

The sense of hearing allows man to discern audible frequencies, volume, and musical tempos. He recognizes and understands voices, speech, familiar sounds, and signs of danger. And he appreciates music and the sounds of nature.

Sound can have a major effect on mental attitudes. What a person hears can have a profound impact on him, even if he does not intend it to. Paul warned the Ephesians to be careful with their speech (Ephesians 4:29), telling them to be positive and edifying in their speech rather that negative and corrupt. The Law specifically prohibits receiving negative reports about a person, unless there is more than one witness (Deuteronomy 19:15). And Paul gives further warning about receiving accusations against elders (1 Timothy 5:19). Someone might think that listening to such accusations or to gossip is harmless. But it is not. What a person hears does affect how he thinks. If a person hears a lie often enough, he will end up believing it.

The same is true when it comes to music. Certain forms and styles of music are known to be harmful to the hearer. There is more to choosing music than just personal preference. Although music is considered to be an art form, there are well-defined scientific and physical principles behind it. Tempos, time-signatures, melodies, harmonies, keys,18 volume, etc., can all have an effect on the hearer. It has been shown, for example, that clas- sical music has a beneficial effect on the mind. The complex harmonies and melodies actually “exercise” the mind and cause it to grow. On the other hand, those forms of music which are repetitive, loud or have heavy bass lines can actually be harmful to the mind.

The subject of music as it pertains to thinking is a complex and involved area of study. The intention here is simply to show that music does have a real effect on the human soul and that great care needs to be exercised when choosing what one listens to. Even Christian music can be problematic. A song might have a Christian message with Christian lyrics. But if the music behind it is not spiritually uplifting then the song ends up with no real spiritual value. There is, of course, a spirit behind all of this. Paul described Satan as, “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). Satan possesses a musical ability, which he has had since his creation (Eze-

17 The “voice” is a construct in the Greek language which determines how the verb in a sentence relates to the subject (initiator) and the object (recipient) of that verb. In this case, the author is using the “active voice” and the “middle voice” 18 Specifically, major keys vs. minor keys 39

Biblical Psychology kiel 28:13). Clearly, then, he has both the power and the ability to produce music which will cause harm to a person’s spiritual life.

Trumpets were a major form of communication for God’s people. God told Moses to make two silver trumpets which he would use for calling the people (Numbers 10:1-10). Sometimes, both trumpets would be blown and other times only one trumpet would be blown. Sometimes the blast would be short and other times the blast would be long. The people had to be able to discern these different sounds. They also had to be able to discern them happening in specific sequences.

Hearing is also used in reference to faith and obedience. Paul said, “Faith cometh by hearing” (Romans 10:17). Whatever a person hears, he will eventually have a tendency to believe. This is the case both with the truth and with a lie. With this belief comes obedience. In the New Testament, one of the Greek words translated as “obey” literally means to be “under hearing.” This is why a person must be very careful what he listens to. A person who listens to false doctrine can very easily end up believing that doctrine. God said, “As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me” (Psalm 18:44). This does not mean that a person obeys what he hears because he is taking it as an order or a command. But what he hears changes his mindset. For example, if a person continually hears that sexual intercourse outside of marriage is acceptable, then he will eventually believe it and he will soon partake of illicit sexual activity. Similarly, if a person continually hears that social drinking is acceptable, he will eventually believe it and he will soon become a social drinker. Hearing the wrong thing produces a wrong mindset that results in wrong behavior. What is evil has been called good (Isaiah 5:20), and the lie has been believed. On the other hand, God tells us of the value of hearing His counsel and speaking His words. He said to Jeremiah, “And if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings” (Jeremiah 23:22).

God gave hearing to man so that he could hear from God. After Adam and Eve sinned, they were no longer able to see God face to face. But they could still hear God’s voice (Genesis 3:8). In the Psalms, God makes several references to inclining one’s ear to hear God. Proverbs 2:2 tells us that good hearing is as important as having a good heart. Jesus tells us that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). The Lord is continually speaking. But people need to hear His voice (Revelation 3:20). Then He will dine with them and fellowship with them.

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him (Psalm 34:8)

The sense of taste allows man to discern things that are sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and spicy. He recognizes foods, flavors, nutrition, poisons, etc. And he appreciates good food and pleasant drinks.

Taste is very much connected with enjoyment and pleasure (Proverbs 24:13). If a food is nutritious, it can and should also have a pleasant taste (Song of Solomon 2:3). There is nothing wrong with that. In fact, taste can be a very good way to tell if a particular food is good or bad. Children can instinctively tell whether or not something is good simply by tasting it. This, of course, is not always the case. Often good foods taste bad and bad foods taste good. In these cases, the subjectivity of the sense of taste can be counter-productive. Taste is also connected with experimentation. But experimentation can be very dangerous. Many have experimented with drugs and alcohol with disastrous results.

There comes a point where looking, smelling, and touching are not enough. Tasting is required. To taste and consume something is really to partake of it. Perhaps more than any other sense, taste really brings with it the strongest element of participation. After a person has tasted something, it is too late to take it back. Jesus Christ tasted death (Hebrews 2:9), so that His people would not have to (Matthew 16:28). He also said that unbelievers would not taste of His supper (Luke 14:24). Instead, like Moab during the time of Jeremiah, the unbeliever will never lose the taste of unbelief (Jeremiah 48:11) and the taste of death.

Biblical Psychology

Taste is often used in connection with the Word of God. The Psalmist tells us that God’s words are sweeter than honey (Psalm 119:103). And Jeremiah ate God’s words, saying, “Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jeremiah 15:16). God’s Word is more than just instruction and spiritual nutrition. It is pleasing to the taste buds. The Bible is not just a book to be studied, understood, and followed. The Bible is also to be enjoyed.

To taste God is to experience Him, to enjoy Him, to know Him, to appreciate Him, and to test Him. During the Passover, the people of Israel would have a meal of bitter herbs, unleavened bread, and roasted lamb (Exodus 12:8). Keil and Delitzsch maintain that the bitter herbs were not meant as an accompaniment to the meal, but that they were meant to be the basis of the meal. They go on to say that the bitterness of the herbs, a reminder of the bitterness of life experienced by Israel in Egypt (Exodus 1:14), would be overpowered by the “sweet flesh of the lamb.”19 In order to deal with the past bitterness of life, a person must taste and enjoy the sweet flesh of the lamb. He must partake of and enjoy Jesus Christ. David wrote, “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8). Of this Psalm, Charles Spurgeon said, “Make a trial, an inward, experimental trial of the goodness of God. You cannot see except by tasting for yourself; but if you taste you shall see, for this, like Jonathan’s honey, enlightens the eyes.”20 Tasting God precedes seeing God. When Jonathan tasted the honey, his countenance changed (1 Samuel 14:29). Tasting God is a central part of the Christian experience. We can test Him and try Him. He is up to the challenge and will not let us down. Some might be shocked by such a statement. But God Himself said, “Test Me now in this” (Malachi 3:10 – NASB). He was talking about tithes and offerings, and He said that He would pour out a blessing on those willing to test Him in this area. He was asking the people to taste Him so that He could show them that He was good.

And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him (Mark 8:22)

The sense of touch allows man to discern hard and soft, rough and smooth, sharp and blunt, hot and cold, etc. He can discern between solid objects, liquids, and gases. He recognizes objects by how they feel. If he is blind, he may understand Braille. And he appreciates how things feel, experiencing both pleasure and pain.

Touch is an important component of man’s make-up. Physical contact between people is important, but it can only have value because the senses can feel that contact. The touch of a parent’s hand on a sick child’s face has been known to bring healing and even to save lives. A hand on placed on the shoulder of a person who has suffered some loss can be a great comfort to that person. And physical contact between a husband and wife is an important part of marital intimacy. A kiss between a husband and his wife is an extremely intimate form of physical contact. Because human lips are very sensitive, kissing has a very deep impact on man’s soul. A simple kiss might not seem so harmful, but it can very easily lead to a great deal more. It can very easily cause a person to lower his or her inhibitions and abandon their convictions. This is why wise couples practice no- touch love when they are dating and why they save the first kiss until after they are married.

Touch is very much related to intimacy and oneness. Touching a person or an object brings oneness and identification. For example, touching something that is unclean brings an identification with that uncleanness and defilement. This is why the people of Israel were told that there were certain things that they were not to touch. They were told not to touch unclean things (Leviticus 5:2). They were told not to touch lepers, persons suffering from bodily discharges, or dead bodies (Numbers 5:2). And they were told not to touch the holy mountain of God (Exodus 19:12). Touching that which was dead or was unclean would defile a man. And man who touched that which was holy would die. This is what happened when Uzzah touched the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:6-7).

19 Commentary on the Old Testament – Keil & Delitzsch – Volume 1, Exodus 20 Treasury Of David – Charles Spurgeon – Volume 2, Psalm 34 41

Biblical Psychology

A touch from God, on the other hand, brings with it an identification with God and His holiness. God touches men’s hearts (1 Samuel 10:26). A hot coal on Isaiah’s lips purged him (Isaiah 6:7). Infants were frequently brought to Jesus so that a touch from Him would heal them (Luke 18:15). And even touching His clothing could bring with it a transfer of life and healing to a person (Luke 8:46). Being touched by God in our lives is important. This is the only way in which a person can be personal and intimate with Him. This is the only way in which he can be one with Him and experience His life.

Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb: honey and milk are under thy tongue; and the smell of thy garments is like the smell of Lebanon (Song of Solomon 4:11)

The sense of smell allows man to discern sweetness, pungency, fruitiness, spiciness, etc. He recognizes foods, plants, animals, chemicals, etc. And he appreciates the fragrance of food, flowers, etc.

Smell is very much connected with enjoyment and pleasure, in the same way that taste is. A healthy and tasty meal can be further enhanced by a pleasant aroma. The sense of smell can also be used to detect the presence of poisonous gases. However, certain poisons, such as carbon monoxide, are odorless and cannot be detected by man’s senses. Smells are frequently the result of death and decay. The smells of a decaying animal or a rot- ting plant are obvious examples of this.

Smell is very much associated with identification. Many animals frequently mark their territory with their scent, while less aggressive animals make it a practice to hide their scent so that they will be hidden from predators. The Christian is similarly identified by his scent or his fragrance. He has the fragrance of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14-16), which is to the believer a fragrance of life and to the unbeliever a fragrance of death.

Smell is most frequently connected to offerings. After the flood, Noah made a sweet smelling offering to God (Genesis 8:20-21). The Church at Philippi sent gifts to Paul, which were also a sweet smelling offering to God (Philippians 4:18). The sweet smell comes only because of the believer’s identification with Jesus Christ. The believer, as “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God” (Romans 12:1), smells sweet to God only because of his position in Christ. In the Tabernacle and the Temple, the fragrance that came from the incense symbol- ized prayer (Exodus 30:1-9). The Psalmist said, “Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense” (Psalm 141:2).

To smell God requires intimacy. In order to smell a person, it is necessary to get close to that person. This intimacy is fellowship and communion with God in the Person of Jesus Christ. The Shulamite women could literally smell her spouse and lover (Song of Solomon 4:11). Likewise, believers should be so intimate with God so as to smell His presence.

The Deceptive Nature of the Senses

And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am (Genesis 27:24)

The story of Jacob stealing the blessing from Esau is a good illustration of what can go wrong when a man trusts in his senses. In this case, the man is Isaac. He asks Esau, his oldest son, to go on a hunt and to bring him some savory food. He also promises a blessing for Esau. While Esau is out hunting for food, Jacob, his brother, at the behest of his mother, Rebekah, uses the opportunity to pretend he is Esau and to steal this blessing. All five senses are mentioned and, while Isaac suspects something is wrong, he still ends up being tricked into conferring Esau’s “firstborn” blessing on Jacob.

Isaac’s sight was failing (Genesis 27:1), so he was unable to distinguish between Esau and Jacob (Genesis 27:23). His hearing was good. He was able to discern that the voice was not Esau’s but Jacob’s (Genesis 42

Biblical Psychology

27:22). He used his sense of touch to feel Jacob’s arms, which were covered in goat skins (Genesis 27:23). Esau was hairy, but Jacob was not. This was sufficient to convince Isaac that the arms were Esau’s. He ate the food that Rebekah, Jacob’s mother, had prepared (Genesis 27:25). In doing so, he exercised his sense of taste and believed that the food had been prepared by Esau. And lastly, he kissed Jacob, who was wearing Esau’s clothing. His sense of smell led him to believe that the scent was from Esau (Genesis 27:27). The senses, then, are a great gift from God. They allow man to perceive and enjoy God’s creation. But he must be very careful how he uses them. They cannot always be trusted.

John Bunyan had something to say about the senses and how man needs to guard them. He introduced the idea of “gates” which would protect the senses:

“This famous town of Mansoul had five gates, in at which to come, out of which to go; and these were made likewise answerable to the walls, to wit, impregnable, and such as could never be opened nor forced but by the will and leave of those within. The names of the gates were these: Ear-gate, Eye- gate, Mouth-gate, Nose-gate, and Feel-gate.”21

This idea of gates was later adopted and developed by men such as Rudyard Kipling, Clarence Larkin, and Pastor Carl Stevens. This is good counsel. Man needs to protect the gates of his senses. He needs to keep them closed to that which is unhealthy to his soul.

The Soul

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? (Mark 8:36)

The physical body is important. This body is the part of man which relates to the world. But if a man gains the whole world and loses his soul, then he is putting his body ahead of his soul. God says that the soul is important, possibly more important than the body. Jesus stresses this again when He says, “fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). The soul is important. But what is the soul?

The soul is the part of man that relates to himself and to others around him. It is his personality. It was the last part of him to be created (Genesis 2:7). The fact that the “breath of life” preceded the “living soul” shows that the soul is dependent upon the human spirit for its life and for its existence. If the human spirit is dead, as in the unbeliever, or in any way incapacitated, then the soul will suffer as a consequence.

Most scholars divide the soul into three parts. These parts are the mind, the will, and the emotions. Pastor Carl Stevens, however, developed this further and added two other parts. These parts are the conscience and the self-consciousness. This difference should not be seen as a problem. While other scholars do acknowledge the existence of the conscience and the self-consciousness, they choose to incorporate them into the other three parts of the soul.

The Spirit

But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding (Job 32:8)

While there are similarities between the soul and the spirit, there are also distinct differences. God does not give understanding to man’s soul, but He gives it to man’s spirit. The spirit is the part of man that relates to God. It was the second part of him to be created (Genesis 2:7), right between the body and the soul. Further-

21 The Holy War – John Bunyan – Relation Of The Holy War 43

Biblical Psychology more, life did not enter man’s body until after God had given him the “breath of life.” The human spirit, then, can and should be seen as central to man’s being.

The human spirit is the part of man designed to communicate with God. God uses the human spirit to teach man, both about God and about man (1 Corinthians 2:10-11). God uses the human spirit to teach man the truths contained in His Word (1 Corinthians 12:8). God uses the human spirit to impart life to man (John 6:63, Romans 8:11, and 2 Corinthians 3:6). And God uses the spirit to lead and guide His children in their everyday lives (Romans 8:14).

The Bible contains a great many references to the “spirit,” the “Spirit,” and the “Holy Spirit.” These can be confusing, especially when the only difference is a capital “S,” which was chosen by the translator. The human spirit and the Holy Spirit are very different and definitely distinct. One is human while the other is divine. One is man while the other is God. But in man they work together, the Holy Spirit talking to man through the human spirit. This means that when one is mentioned, the other is sure to be close by.

The human spirit has three functions, all of which relate to God. These are communion, intuition, and conscience.22 Communion includes prayer, praise, and worship. It is direct and personal communication with God. It is God and man in total union and total harmony. The human spirit is the only part of man capable of this. Intuition includes God-consciousness, wisdom, and guidance. It is act of hearing from God in a specific and personal fashion. God uses man’s intuition to guide the believer in the details of life. Conscience includes conviction and understanding of God’s law. The Law, as given in the Ten Commandments, can do nothing to change a man’s behavior or his standing before God. But the spirit can influence a man’s motivation and his very being, so that he has both the desire and the ability to please God.

The human spirit is the home of the Holy Spirit. It is where God lives. Man without God is like an empty glove. Such a glove has no purpose, no form, and no ability. It is lifeless and worthless. But when a hand is placed inside it, the glove is now useful. It is functioning the way it was designed. It has a purpose. The same is true of man. He was designed with a purpose, and that purpose was to have fellowship with God through His Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit, man is as empty as that glove. But when that man gets saved, the Holy Spirit enters into him and he now has both a purpose and a way to satisfy that purpose.

22 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 1, Chapter 2, The Spirit And The Soul 44

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 5 The Tabernacle of God

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy [Spirit] which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

There is a strong parallel between the earthly Tabernacle (Exodus 25-30) and the make-up of man. The Taber- nacle clearly portrays the centrality of Christ in the believer’s life and the need to seek and follow Jesus Christ in all things. It points to the many needs that the believer has in his life. The “Outer Court” represents man’s body. It is the only part of man that can be seen from the outside. And it is frequently the least attractive part of man. He is an earthen vessel (2 Corinthians 4:7), but he holds a great treasure. There is only one way into the Outer Court, just as there is only one way of salvation. It is a narrow way with a narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14).

The first thing that a person sees upon entering the Outer Court is the “Brazen Altar.” This speaks of the Cross and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It points to the believer’s need for justification. There was no way into the Outer Court without first making a sacrifice on the altar, just as there is no way to enter into God’s presence without first going through the Cross (Acts 4:12). Salvation must precede everything in a person’s life. Lead- ing a person to Christ must be the first stage in counseling. There may be a pre-salvation work, but there will be no progress until the power of the Cross has been brought to bear in that person’s life.

23 This drawing is based on drawings created by Clarence Larkin 45

Biblical Psychology

Once a person has passed the Brazen Altar, he is free to walk around the Outer Court. There was no floor in the tabernacle, and the ground inside the Outer Court was exactly the same as that on the outside. This means a person will get just as dirty inside the Outer Court as he would if he were outside. This is why the “Brazen La- ver” is in the Outer Court, right after the Brazen Altar. The Brazen Laver contained water and was used to clean the hands and feet of those in the Outer Court. The believer, once he is saved, is still in the world. There- fore, he is still subject to the defilement that comes from living in the world. Furthermore, he comes to Christ as a filthy sinner. He is saved just as he is. God does see him spotlessly clean in his new position as a believer, but he is still filthy in his experience. The Brazen Laver, then, speaks of the continual washing that the believer needs to receive through the Word of God (Ephesians 5:26). It points to the believer’s need for sanctification.

The Holy Place

For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary (Hebrews 9:2)

The Holy Place represents man’s soul. This is where the priests would minister to God (Hebrews 9:6). This ministry was not to be performed alone, as there would be several priests there at one time. The New Testa- ment believer is often referred to as a priest, or a “believer-priest.” This is based upon his identification with Jesus Christ, the “great High Priest” (Hebrews 4:14). Therefore, the Holy Place has great relevance to him. It is a place where he gathers with other believers in order to minister to God. And this ministry also ministers to his soul.

The first item of furniture in the Holy Place is the Table Of Shewbread (or “showbread”). It provided a testimony to fellow believers. The priests would break bread and eat together as they ministered in the Holy Place. They would enjoy companionship and nourishment. But there were no seats in the Holy Place, so the priests would continue to minister as they ate. This speaks of the believer’s need for fellowship around the Word of God. It speaks of his need for the Bible (2 Timothy 2:15) and for Body Life (Hebrews 10:25), in both his personal life and his ministry.

The second item of furniture in the Holy Place is the Golden Candlestick. It provided a testimony to the world. This was the only light source in the Holy Place. The priests would have no other light source available to them in their ministry. It was all one piece, fashioned of gold by the hammer of the smith. Not only was it made of gold, speaking of Jesus Christ, it was also fueled with oil, speaking of the Holy Spirit. The Golden Candlestick, then, speaks of Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit being the only light required by the believer. But there is so much more. The candlestick had a central stem with six branches, leaving a total seven lights. Six is man’s number, while seven is the number of perfection and completeness. This means that the Golden Candle- stick also speaks of the perfection and completeness that a believer can experience when he submits to Christ as his head. With Christ as the head, man is now complete. He is now part of the candlestick; he is now part of the light. Jesus Christ ascended to heaven, but His Church is still here. His Church is His presence and His light to the world. This speaks of the believer who is submitted to Christ in the local assembly and is part of a ministry that brings light to a lost and dying word (John 9:5). All of this, then, speaks of the believer’s need to be Christ-centered and Spirit-led both in his personal life and in his ministry (Psalm 119:105 and Luke 4:1).

The third and final item of furniture in the Holy Place is the Altar of Incense. It provided a testimony to God. Incense, which frequently refers to prayer (Psalm 141:2), was to be burnt continually on the altar. This speaks of the prayer life of the believer. Jesus Christ “ever liveth to make intercession” for His people (Hebrews 7:25). He is always before His Father, praying for the believer. And the Holy Spirit “maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). This speaks of the believer’s need for a prayer life. He needs both a personal prayer life and a corporate prayer life, where he attends prayer meetings with other believers. Prayer ministers to the believer’s soul and is an essential part of a successful ministry. The ministry of prayer, just like the burning of the incense, needs to be continuous (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 46

Biblical Psychology

The Holy of Holies

And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all; Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aa- ron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant; And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mer- cyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly (Hebrews 9:3-5)

Beyond the Holy Place is the Holy of Holies. It represents the human spirit. This is where God lives. The Holy Place was a place of corporate ministry, where the priests would minister together. The Holy of Holies was a place where only one person could go. There is a shift from the corporate life to the personal life. Between the two chambers is the Veil.

The Veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:21). It was like a huge “Keep Out” sign placed between God and man. The high priest was the only person who could pass through the Veil. He only did this once a year, on the Day of Atonement. The same Veil was also present in the Tem- ple at Jerusalem at the time of Christ. When Jesus Christ died on the Cross, the Veil in the Temple was torn, from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51).

The tearing of the Veil was a work of God, not of man. Of this event, Mark DeHaan says, “Rabbinical writers tell us that the veil was so tightly woven that two teams of oxen pulling in opposite directions, with the veil between them, could not tear it apart. Neither could the veil be repaired, for it was [torn] by God’s hand, from heaven. Tradition tells us that the priests tried to mend and sew the veil together again, but were unable to, for no thread, no cord, would hold in the repaired part. It was [torn] once and for all, and forever.”24 The Veil is gone. The work is finished (John 19:30). There is no longer any barrier between God and man. Instead, the believer has constant access to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).

Before entering the Holy of Holies, the high priest had to be washed and properly dressed. He had to be wearing “holy garments” (Leviticus 16:4), speaking of the “robe of righteousness” that the Lord gives to those who believe on him (Isaiah 61:10) and pointing the fact that a person needs to be made righteous through the aton- ing power of the Cross before he can stand before God.

Once properly dressed, the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. When he did this he would take two items with him. The first item was a “censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD,” with “hands full of sweet incense beaten small” (Leviticus 16:12). The second item was an offering of blood, both for his sins and for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9:7).

The high priest would place the coals and the incense before the Ark of The Covenant. The incense placed upon the hot coals would produce a cloud of incense that would cover the Mercy Seat. When Nadab and Abihu offered “strange fire” before God, they died (Leviticus 10:1-3). They had taken a censer of hot coals and placed incense on them, just like the high priest did. But they were profane and familiar. It was not in their hearts to glorify God. After this happened, God said to Moses, “By those who come near Me, I must be regarded as holy; And before all the people I must be glorified” (Leviticus 10:3 – NKJV). The Psalmist said, “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-4). We hear statements like, “just present the blood.” But is that enough? For many, the blood has simply become a religious symbol and presenting the blood has become a religious ritual. It means nothing if the heart is not right. The believer and the penitent sinner must come to God with the right attitude. He must see God as holy and himself as unworthy. Without this, it is impossible to see the necessity for the blood.

24 The Tabernacle – M. R. DeHaan, M.D. – Chapter 15, The Rent Veil. This resource has been a great source of material and inspiration in the writing of this chapter 47

Biblical Psychology

The beaten incense has a two-fold significance. It represents of the beaten and broken body of Christ. The communion of the Last Supper had two elements – bread and wine. These represented both the body and the blood of Christ. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, he was carrying incense, speaking of the body, and blood. He was entering, then, into communion with God. The incense also represents the humility and brokenness of the believer. He is a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), cast upon the hot coals. He has experienced the bruising that comes at the hand of the flesh, the world, and the devil. He is burdened, heavy laden (Matthew 11:28). He has come to the end of himself and now realizes that Jesus Christ is the only way. Just like Isaiah, he says, “Woe is me! For I am undone” (Isaiah 6:5). But then, just like the incense, he is cast onto the hot coals and sin and iniquity are purged (Isaiah 6:6-8).

The Ark of the Covenant was the only item of furniture in the Holy of Holies. It represents the Holy Spirit, taking residence in the human spirit. If the Ark of the Covenant were not there, the Holy of Holies would just be an empty room. It would have no purpose and no significance. In the same way, the human spirit is just a vain space without the presence of Holy Spirit. This is the case for the unbeliever, whose spirit is occupied with dead and empty things.

The lid of the Ark of the Covenant consisted of the Mercy Seat. On top of the Mercy Seat were two cherubim made of gold. This category of angel was assigned by God to guard the entrance to the Garden of Eden and the way to the Tree of Life after Adam and Eve had sinned (Genesis 3:24). But these cherubim were different. Their images held no “flaming sword.” This speaks of the mercy of God and the sufficiency of the Finished Work. The sword of judgment was replaced by the seat of mercy! When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, he would place the blood on the Mercy Seat, thereby satisfying God’s righteous demand for justice and enabling fellowship with Him. Without the blood, there can be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22) and no fellowship. But each high priest did this for himself, too. No one else could do it for him. This points the each believer’s need to make his own, personal decision for salvation.

The Ark of the Covenant contained three items, all of which are related to the functions of the human spirit (Hebrews 9:4). They could have been placed anywhere in the Holy of Holies, but they are in the Ark of the Covenant. This is because the human spirit cannot function as it was designed without the presence of the Ho- ly Spirit. These functions are totally reliant upon the Holy Spirit in order to operate. Without the Holy Spirit, the human spirit cannot function in its design.

The first item in the Ark of the Covenant was the Pot of Manna. God fed manna to His people as they wan- dered for forty years in the wilderness (Exodus 16). This was God’s provision. In the wilderness, the manna had to be gathered every day, except on the Sabbath. Any manna that was left at the end of the day would go bad and breed worms. But God told Moses and Aaron to take some of the manna and put it into a pot, saying that it would be “kept for your generations” (Exodus 16:33). This was the Pot of Manna that was placed in the Ark of the Covenant. Unlike the manna in the wilderness, this manna never went bad. But the pot is just as important as the manna. The pot was gold, representing of Christ’s deity, and was filled with manna, representing Christ’s perfect humanity. The Pot of Manna, then, represents the God-man. It represents God in union with perfect humanity. It represents the Hypostatic Union. The believer is called into this perfect union between God and man. This is what communion really means (1 Corinthians 10:16). In the original Greek, the word translated as “communion” speaks of the association between God and man. It speaks of joint participation, identification, intercourse, sharing, intimacy, etc. The Pot of Manna, then, speaks of the communion between God and man that Jesus Christ purchased with His own blood at the Cross. This communion with God is very different from the fellowship that a person has with fellow believers. Just as a husband and wife become “one flesh” (Genesis 2:24), so too do Christ and His Bride, the Church.

The second item inside the Ark of the Covenant was Aaron’s Rod. This was the rod that budded when God was looking to choose a family that would become the priesthood (Numbers 17:8). The budding rod represents

Biblical Psychology the resurrection life that comes through the Holy Spirit and the authority that He gives to His people. But God used Aaron’s Rod as a means of guidance for His people. He could have used any means He wished, but He used a budding rod. He used life and His authority as the means to guide His people, and He does the same thing today. Aaron’s Rod, then, speaks of wisdom, discernment, and intuition. The believer intuitively knows that something is right because he discerns God’s life and God’s authority in it.

The third and final items in the Ark of the Covenant were the Tablets of the Covenant. They represent the character and nature of God. They provide a precise definition of who God is. The understanding of who God is will automatically convince and convict a man of who he is. Isaiah recognized himself as “a man of unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5). And when Peter was in the boat with Jesus Christ, he called himself “a sinful man” (Luke 5:8). The Tablets of the Covenant, then, speak of conscience. This conscience is not the conscience of condemnation that came under the Law. Instead, it is a conscience of conviction. It is an inner sense that something is wrong; it recognizes and communicates any indication of disorder.

The Spiritual Application Of The Tabernacle

And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Ephesians 5:18)

When the Tabernacle was erected in the wilderness, it was filled with the glory of God (Exodus 40:34-35). This was the overpowering “Shekinah” glory. It brought with it a sense of holiness that none could withstand. The believer can also be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings with Him a holiness and a purity that is completely incompatible with sin. The filling of the Holy Spirit is available to all believers. It is the means by which man can be holy and overcome sin.

Man, as a “temple of the Holy [Spirit]” (1 Corinthians 6:19), should feel a sense of conviction. He should sense the holiness of God in his life. The presence of the Holy Spirit within him should make him feel extremely uneasy with sin. But even if the believer does sin, he still has something going for him. There is one major difference between the Tabernacle and the believer. In the Old Testament, the Ark could be removed and the glory of God could depart from the Tabernacle and from the nation of Israel (1 Samuel 4:21-22). For- tunately, this can never happen to the believer. Because of eternal security, the Holy Spirit will never leave him. He might not ever experience the filling of the Holy Spirit and the glory of God, but the Ark will never depart.

That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made con- formable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:10-14)

The Apostle Paul understood all of this. The opening verse contains three points, all of which point to the Holy of Holies and the contents of the Ark of the Covenant. First, Paul says, “That I may know him.” The Tablets of the Covenant are the means by which a man can know God. Second, he talks of “the power of his resurrection.” Aaron’s Rod is a picture of Christ’s resurrection. And finally, he talks of “the fellowship of his sufferings.” The Greek word translated as “fellowship” in this verse is better translated as “communion.” The Gold- en Pot of Manna represents the source of communion. Paul was in the Holy of Holies, in a figurative manner. He liked it there.

Later on, Paul says, “this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.” What was it that was behind Paul? If he had been in the Holy of Holies, he would have been standing before the Ark of the Covenant. Behind him would have been the Outer Court and 49

Biblical Psychology the Holy Place. In his early days as a Christian, Paul might have lived a very natural and soulish life. This is certainly the case for most believers. But God drew him into the Holy of Holies. God drew him from the natural, soulish life into the spiritual life. Paul wanted to move beyond his early days as a Christian. He wanted to put away what was behind him and continue going forward. He wanted to continue growing in his walk with the Lord.

Paul did not consider himself to have attained anything. He realized that he knew nothing. And he certainly realized that he did not know God, at least as much as he would have liked to. He was content (Philippians 4:11), but he was not satisfied. He wanted more. He wanted to go deeper with God. This is why he said, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Paul, an effective pastor, missionary, leader, church-planter, writer, and theologian, wanted more. He was not content to take it easy and live out the rest of his life as a “normal” Christian. Believers need to understand this. No matter how far a believer has gone, there is always further to go. No matter how much a believer knows, there is always more to know. And no matter how much a believer has grown, there is always room for more growth. The Tabernacle, and in particular the Holy of Holies, is place for all of this to happen.

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 6 The Physiology Of The Brain

I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: … (Psalm 139:14)

Man is God’s greatest creation. Other animals may be stronger, faster, or more agile. They may have better and more acute senses. But man as a whole is far superior to all other animals. He is the jewel in the crown of God’s creation. The most amazing part of man is his brain. It is his brain that really sets him apart. Man’s brain has abilities that no animal possesses. The weight of an adult human brain is about 3 pounds, while the weight of an elephant’s brain is about 13 pounds. Despite the fact that the weight of man’s brain is about 25 percent of that of an elephant, man’s brain is far superior to that of an elephant. Of course, all of this simply agrees with what the Bible said thousands of years ago.

There are differing views, even among Christians, as to the nature of the relationship between the soul and the brain. These views fall into two categories : • The Dualistic view. The soul and the brain are completely separate. The soul is not matter, but an immaterial force. There is, however, influence between the two. • The Monistic view. The soul is contained in the brain, in the form of some kind of energy. Neither of these views explains the relationship in a satisfactory fashion. There is a relationship, but it is a mystery!

The human brain is an immensely complex organ. It is the location of the soul. All five parts of the soul can be seen in the operation of the brain. A single book could hardly begin to explain how it works, let alone a single chapter. But there are some basic principles that are important to the student of Biblical Psychology. These help to explain why God’s Word says what it says.

There is a war over man’s thinking. Satan wants man to center his thinking on vain philosophies and abstract ideas (Colossians 2:8), rather than on that which is logical and tangible. But science does not support this. People use terms like “mind over matter.” But the truth is that the mind is matter. There is a physical process involved in the brain. And this process is logical, chemical, and consistent. Although the soul is the immaterial part of man, it resides in something that is physical. It resides in something that is material. There is something physical between man’s ears!

Neurons and Synapses

But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little … (Isaiah 28:13)

The human brain contains 100 billion (100,000,000,000) nerve cells, or neurons, which store basic information. These neurons are connected to other neurons by branches or synapses, resulting in a neural network. Information is transmitted between neurons using these synapses. A chemical reaction in the sending neuron produces an electrical pulse that travels along the synapse connecting the two neurons. This results in another chemical reaction in the receiving neuron. “At birth, each neuron in the cerebral cortex has approximately 2,500 synapses. By the time an infant is 2 or 3 years old, the number of synapses is approximately 15,000 synapses per neuron (Gopnick, et al., 1999). This amount is about twice that of the average adult brain.”25 Each neuron in the average human brain has around 7,500. This is a total of 750 trillion (750,000,000,000,000) connections. This provides a large capacity both to think and to store information. Obviously, there is a lot more to

25 Neuroscience for Kids – http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html 51

Biblical Psychology this process. But this simplified description provides a basic understanding of what happens in the human brain.

Throughout a person’s life, his brain adapts and reforms itself based upon what is experienced and what is taught. This process is called plasticity. “Plasticity, or neuroplasticity, is the lifelong ability of the brain to re- organize neural pathways based on new experiences. As we learn, we acquire new knowledge and skills through instruction or experience. In order to learn or memorize a fact or skill, there must be persistent func- tional changes in the brain that represent the new knowledge.”26

The mechanism by which this reshaping takes place is called synaptic pruning. “Synaptic pruning eliminates weaker synaptic contacts while stronger connections are kept and strengthened. Experience determines which connections will be strengthened and which will be pruned; connections that have been activated most frequently are preserved.”27 Old, unused synapses are destroyed and new synapses are created. Synapses are strengthened with use, while others grow weaker as they are ignored.

Synapses are not the only part of the brain that dies if it is not used. Neurons can also die. They need a purpose. Similarly, man needs a purpose and a vision. Without this, he too will also perish (Proverbs 29:18). This process of death is called apoptosis. Neurons that do not transmit or receive information become weak and ineffective, and eventually die. Memories, thoughts, ideas, etc., are all associated with specific sets of neurons and synapses, or networks.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Secular psychology and traditional counseling models encourage the person being counseled to revisit his past and to talk about his problems. The idea is that once the source of the problem has been identified, it can be more easily dealt with. While there is value in this approach, continual repetition and rehearsal of past events merely serves to reinforce them. A past trauma is associated with specific network. As a person talks about that trauma, he is actually strengthening this network and magnifying the problem. Rather than solving the problem, this approach to counseling can actually make the problem worse.

The Word of God, on the other hand, provides a more solid and reliable basis for counseling. Reading, hearing, and studying the Bible will form new synapses. The hearing of the Word of God produces faith (Romans 10:17). This faith is real. It is not just abstract philosophy. It is associated with networks, which are real physical and biological entities. It has substance (Hebrews 11:1). As new networks are created, the old ones will

26 Neuroscience for Kids – http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html 27 Neuroscience for Kids – http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html 52

Biblical Psychology simply pass away. When the believer understands that he is a “new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17), his old thought patterns will be replaced by a new ways of thinking. Meditating on God’s promises strengthens the networks associated with that promise. And a word in season here and a word of encouragement there can go a long way to fine-tune the brain.

The brain represents a huge filing system. Information is received and stored for later use. The believer needs to use this filing system to store categorical doctrine. As he hears messages and studies specific doctrines, new networks are formed in the brain and new lines of thinking are developed.

Training, Adapting, and Teaching

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6)

The brain can be trained. It can learn. This is true for all creatures, not just humans. Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov, conducted a series of experiments that demonstrated how dogs could be trained, or conditioned, to behave or to respond in a certain way to seemingly unrelated events or stimuli. In his experiments, known as “Pavlov’s Dog,” he would ring a bell and then place a plate of food in front of a dog. The dog would see the food and salivate. He would have an expectation based upon the food. Before long, the dog would salivate before the food even turned up. In his brain, the ringing of the bell was now connected to food. Through repeated actions, a network had been created between the “bell ringing” neurons and the “salivating” neurons. The dog had been trained in such a way that when the bell rang, he would salivate even if no food were put in front of him.

In a similar way, a baby soon learns that if he cries, his mother will hear him and then feed him. But there is a difference between the human brain and the brains of animals. Pavlov’s dog would salivate even when there was no food. There is no rational reason for this, but a dog is unable to figure that out. This is because animals are instinctive. They always respond in a certain, predictable way to specific events. Man, on the other hand, is intuitive. He is perceptive and conscious of his surroundings. He has the ability to discern. He can think things through.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

The human brain is both resilient and adaptable. If one part of the brain is damaged, another part can replicate the functions of the damaged part. The Word of God can play a major role in this, as stroke victims or people who suffer brain injuries have their mental capacities completely restored. The brain can also refuse information. It has the ability to filter out information and stimuli that are harmful or unprofitable. It can “shun profane and vain babblings” (2 Timothy 2:16), which lead both to ungodly thinking and ungodly behavior.

A person’s past decisions play a major part in the development of synapse. These decisions include not only his past actions, but also how he processes those actions and other events that happen around him. In the past, he might have made an unwise decision. He might even have committed a criminal act. Or, he might have witnessed some traumatic event. But he does not have to dwell on these past events and allow them to dominate his thinking.

While past decisions affect how networks are developed, these networks also affect a person’s future decisions. They impact his will. If a person meditates on a past sin or a particular habit, the network associated with that sin or habit grows stronger. As it grows stronger, that person takes on an identity that is characterized by that sin or that habit. Inevitably, he ends up being imprisoned by the sin or that habit. But the believer has a new identity. He is no longer identified with his sin (Romans 7:17). He is a new creation. Meditating on these

Biblical Psychology thoughts develops different networks. And these networks motivate, enable, and empower the believer to live free from sin.

Similarly, when a believer commits a specific sin just one time, he is more likely to commit that same sin again. In a sense, he creates an addiction. This sin creates networks which make him more likely to do it again. At the same time, the networks that are associated with the conscience are weakened through lack of use. The conscience becomes seared or calloused (1Timothy 4:2). If this same person goes to God and confesses his sin, the sin-network will be destroyed and the conscience-network will be restored (1 John 1:9). Networks of sin will be replaced with networks of righteousness and the conscience will be purged (Hebrews 9:13). This replacement of sinful networks by righteous networks is the key to breaking sinful habits and improving behavior.

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)

Satan and his demons are in the business of tempting the believer. Temptation is normal and should not be thought of as a reason for concern (1 Corinthians 10:13). These temptations can be viewed as passing thoughts. They are real and every believer has them. But how he handles these thoughts determines how they will affect his thinking. If he receives these thoughts, he will trigger the formation of a network in his brain. The network associated with that temptation increases the likelihood of his succumbing to that temptation. But if he casts down these thoughts, they will have no power over him.

When the believer receives a passing thought, it becomes a captive thought. This captive thought becomes part of the network in his brain and part of his thinking. Not only has he taken the thought captive, but he has also made himself captive to that thought. This is why Paul is telling the believer to be very careful what thoughts he receives. Man is not only instinctive, he is also intuitive. He can make choices. He does not need to respond to every initiation that comes his way. He does not need to process every electro-chemical stimulus that enters his brain. He does not have to be blown around by “every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).

As the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2), Satan has the ability to attack the human brain directly through electrical activity in the air. But he also uses the world system and the flesh. The world system constantly bombards the believer with ungodly images and thoughts. These images and thoughts include pornography, violence, social drinking, drug use, greed, revenge, jealousy, etc., and are frequently presented through television and the internet. What a person watches on television is important. It might not seem so harmful, but new networks can easily be developed and harmful patterns of thinking can easily be formed. Similarly, when a person spends time thinking about his past life, it can be harmful. There might not be anything so overtly sinful in his past, but patterns of sentimentality can easily be formed.

Demonic activity and spiritual warfare is a major subject all on its own. There can be no doubt that Satan is behind a great many psychological disorders. From influence to possession, Satan has a great many ways in which he attacks man’s soul. However, spiritual warfare is beyond the scope of this book. It is sufficient at this point just to know that the warfare is real and that there will be times when a Christian counselor has to seek pastoral assistance. As Jesus said, “Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17:21).

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? (Matthew 13:10)

When Jesus spoke in parables, He was presenting a picture that illustrated some great truth. He was a master at word pictures. In this passage in Matthew, Jesus is telling His disciples that words are not enough. They need to be expanded and explained. A picture tells a thousand words. And a picture is often easier to understand and

Biblical Psychology easier to remember. The Hebrew language is very much a pictorial language. It is very expressive and lays itself open to word pictures. The Psalms are an excellent example of this.

The brain processes words and pictures in different ways. Words and sentences are linear and one dimensional. But pictures are multi-dimensional. The use of parables and pictures adds dimension and depth to the subject being taught or discussed. With pictures, there is also more action. There are more things happening simulta- neously. Pictures spark the interest of students and get them more actively involved in what is being presented. All of these cause the brain to work harder and to create stronger networks. This is why pictures are such an essential tool in teaching. And it is why Jesus, the Master Teacher, made such an extensive use of parables.

Is the Brain Responsible?

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? (Romans 9:20)

“Are there times when, because of my brain, I am not responsible for my behavior?”28 Can man blame his brain for his problems and his behavior? Is the brain ultimately responsible? If man can blame his brain for his behavior, then he can also blame the God who created him. Obviously this is not reasonable. After all, how can man blame God? But at the same time, there can be physical, biological, and chemical problems in the brain. These problems can be caused by old age, accidents, genetics, substance abuse, circumstances, etc. Is there a correlation between these problems and sinful behavior? And if there are, how can God not be held responsible for that sinful behavior? The answer to this question is to be found neither in the soul nor in the brain. The answer is in man’s sinful heart.

A man’s body cannot cause him to sin. Similarly, problems in his brain, whatever they might be, cannot produce sin. Instead, these defects reveal the sinful nature of man’s heart. The unbeliever has only one heart, a sinful one, while the believer has two hearts, one sinful and one perfect. The common factor is the sinful heart that every man possesses and which is constantly initiating sinful desires to man’s brain. A healthy brain might be able to inhibit and mask the sinful initiations that come from the heart. But a problem brain does not have this ability. Masking sinful behavior looks good from the outside, but the heart is still sinful on the inside. Some brains might be more susceptible to certain sins than other brains. They might be “wired” differently. But this is still no excuse. Sinful desires and temptations come from the heart. The brain has the ability to reject such temptations, even if they have a predisposition to a particular kind of sin.

28 Blame it on the Brain – Edward T. Welch – Chapter 2, Mind-Body: Questions and Answers. This resource has been a great source of material and inspiration in the writing of this chapter 55

Biblical Psychology

… but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day (2 Corinthians 4:16)

There are cases where the blame can be held responsible for man’s behavior, at least in part. These are cases where the brain is suffering from deterioration, birth defects, and physical damage. All of these can be detected using medical equipment, such as PET Scans.29 They include Alzheimer’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, strokes, and head injuries:

• Alzheimer’s disease is a form of dementia that affects the nerve cells at the cerebral cortex. The symptoms include forgetfulness, unclear thought patterns, incomprehensible speech, and uncoordinated motor functions. In the advanced stages, it leads to total dependence on other people. The end result is a degradation of the brain’s capacity.

• Tourette’s syndrome is believed by most physicians to be caused by problems in the basal ganglia, the part of the brain that deals with the body’s motor control and emotions. The symptoms include random and erratic body movements, known as tics, an inability to control one’s language, which results in bouts of profanity and an inability to handle emotional situations.

• Strokes occur when the blood supply to the brain is stopped. This results in a nerve cells dying due to lack of oxygen. Warning signs and symptoms include numbness on one side of the body, loss of vision, difficulty with speech, headaches, and dizziness. Stroke victims can suffer from paralysis, speech problems, memory loss, poor judgment, inattentiveness, and degraded thinking.

• Head injuries fall into two broad categories – penetrating injuries and closed-head injuries. Penetrat- ing injuries are caused, for example, by sharp objects entering the brain. They result in dead nerve cells, but they are localized in their effect. Therefore, symptoms tend to be predictable and discrete. Closed-head injuries are caused, for example, by smashed skulls. Not only do they cover a wide area, but they also followed by whiplash in the skull, swelling, and internal bleeding. The symptoms include dizziness, comas, memory loss, insomnia, and lack of concentration.

But what about sin? Can these brain issues result in sinful behavior? This is the wrong question. The right question would be this – can they make the brain less able to cope with the initiations that proceed from man’s sinful heart? The answer is yes. If the brain has lost its capacity to reject the sinful tendencies of the heart, then sin is the inevitable outcome. However, sin should still be addressed. The brain can re-learn what it once knew and also learn new things. If a person with these kinds of issues is lovingly corrected, then there is no reason that he should not regain the control over sin that he once possessed. This might sound like a works program. But the reality is that people with defective or damaged brains need to be encouraged in the truth.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing (James 1:2-4)

There are cases where the blame might be held responsible for man’s behavior. These include depression and Attention Deficit Disorder, and Bi-Polar disorder. While these disorders cannot be detected by PET Scans, this does not mean that that are not real. It is possible that some of these disorders are caused by chemical imbalance. More importantly, it is also quite likely that many of these disorders are brought about by demonic activity and projections. Treatment often involves medication. While these medications do not necessarily address the problem directly, they can be helpful in alleviating the symptoms:

29 PET is an acronym for “Positron Emission Tomography” 56

Biblical Psychology

• Depression can be justified. There are many legitimate reasons for depression, such as the loss of a loved one. Other symptoms, such as guilt, are not legitimate. At least they are not legitimate for the believer. The symptoms include constant moodiness, apathy, weight change, sleep-related problems, lack of energy, feelings of inadequacy, inability to concentrate, and suicidal thoughts. Many people who suffer from depression often feel like they just want to die, while others feel like they are dead already. Compassion is important for depressed people. But many of them actually enjoy feeling depressed, so sentimentality should be avoided.

• Attention Deficit Disorder (or ADD) is the “best-known psychiatric diagnosis ever.”30 It is often used as the catch-all diagnosis for people who never achieve their full potential or who are unable to get their lives together. But what is Attention Deficit Disorder? The symptoms include an inability to pay attention, hyperactivity, and impulsive behavior. People diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder do not function without structure in their lives.

• Bi-Polar disorder, also known as Manic Depression, involves mood swings. The symptoms include feelings of depression intermingled with feelings of euphoria. A person diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder may experience long or short bouts of sadness, anxiety, guilt, loneliness, and despair. This same person will then follow these bouts of depression with bouts of joy and happiness. Substance abuse is common among people diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder.

There may be chemical imbalances in the brain. There might also be demonic activity. But it is also possible that the root cause of these disorders is a proud, selfish, and demanding heart. These disorders are not generally considered to be sins. But the pride and selfishness are sins. A depressed person might “enjoy” his depression. He might enjoy wallowing in self-pity. He might have a “woe-is-me” mentality, or even a martyr complex. He might have genuine reasons for feeling depressed, but he does not have to give into them. Similarly, a person with a short attention span might take advantage of his problem. He might use it as an opportunity to evade responsibility and accountability. But he can also ask for help. This is why James commands the believer to “count it all joy,” even if he does not feel like it. He might not be able to feel joyful, but he can still believe.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13)

There are cases where the blame cannot be held responsible for man’s behavior. These include alcoholism and homosexuality. There was a time that these were considered sin, as stated in God’s Word (Ephesians 5:18 and Leviticus 18:22). But now the secular world refers to them as diseases or “orientations”:

• Alcoholism is not a disease. If it were a disease, then the alcoholic would be able to blame God for his sinful behavior. Furthermore, there is no evidence for suggesting that it is a disease. However, to the alcoholic it still feels like a disease. Cravings can be intense, but these cravings are simply temptations. And temptations can be avoided. The truth is that people drink because they want to drink, in the same way that people use drugs because they want to use them. It’s a choice. Frequently an alcohol or drug user will be clean and sober for months, or even years. Then, he relapses. Why? Because he misses the effect of his drug of choice.

The physical side of addiction should, of course, not be ignored. In addition to drugs and alcohol, many people suffer physical withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit smoking or cut down on coffee. But these symptoms soon pass. And if an alcoholic or a drug addict is honest, he will admit that

30 Blame it on the Brain – Edward T. Welch – Chapter 8, Attention Deficit Disorder 57

Biblical Psychology

the physical withdrawal symptoms are not the thing that stops him from quitting. The real reason is that he enjoys his sin. Man serves what he loves. People who love God, serve God. People who love drugs and alcohol, serve drugs and alcohol. Their addictions, then, are really cases of being controlled by sin.

• Homosexuality is not an “orientation.” Such a proposition is supported neither by science nor by the Bible. Evidence that claims to show that homosexual tendencies are caused by genetics and brain differences is flawed. While it has been shown that there might be differences between the brains of heterosexual males and homosexual males31, there is no evidence that these differences result in homosexual behavior. It is just as feasible that the homosexual lifestyle, including the impact of AIDS, is the cause of these brain differences. And research that uses high incidences of homosexuality in families, particularly those with identical twins32, as evidence of a genetic basis for homosexuality is biased in its interpretation. Upbringing and peer-pressure also plays a large part in the equation.

There is no such thing as a “gay-gene.” But there is such a thing as an old sin nature, and every person possesses one. This is the source of homosexual thinking and behavior. To the homosexual, his lifestyle feels good. It involves a high degree of self-gratification. He enjoys it. The reason it feels good to him is because it is sin, and fallen man enjoys sin. But why do different sinners choose different sins? Why does one sinner choose adultery and fornication, while another chooses homosexuality? Most men, if they were honest, would say that they understand fornication and adultery. They understand the desire to have sexual relations with a person of the opposite sex. They understand how this can be pleasurable, even if such pleasure is illicit. But homosexuality is something that they cannot comprehend. They cannot understand why any person would want to have sexual relations with another person of the same sex. They cannot understand how this could possibly be pleasurable. So if it is not physiological or genetic, then what is it that leads a man to be tempted by homosexuality? Possible explanations include a lack of success in heterosexual relationships, experimentation with the homosexual lifestyle, peer pressure, and abuse experienced as a child.

While it is important to realize that alcoholism and homosexuality are sins, it is equally important to have love and compassion for these sinners. A heterosexual who has never touched a drop of alcohol in his life is no better, at least in his flesh, than any alcoholic or homosexual. As Edward Welch said, “Christians can see in their hearts the seed of most other sins, but few can even imagine being tempted by homosexuality.”33 It’s easy to have compassion for those whose sins we understand. If we have been tempted in an area or have fallen in an area, it is easy to identify with those who have the same weakness. On the other hand, it is also very easy to look down on people whose temptations are different from our own. Jesus, on the other hand, has sympathy with all sinners because He was subjected to every temptation known to man, “yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Alcoholism and homosexuality are sins. The world is totally wrong when it calls them diseases or orientations. But God loves sinners. And He has provided “a way to escape.” That way, of course, is His Son Jesus Christ.

The brain is a complex organism that is related in many ways to man’s behavior. Whatever problems a person’s brain might have, there is always a cure. The answer is always to apply Biblical principles. And the solu-

31 A Difference in Hypothalamic Structure between Heterosexual and Homosexual Men – Simon LeVay – “Science”, August 30th 1991 32 A Genetic Study of Male Sexual Orientation – J. Michael Bailey & Richard C. Pillard – “Archives Gen Psychiatry”, 1991 33 Blame it on the Brain – Edward T. Welch – Chapter 9, Homosexuality 58

Biblical Psychology tion is always a renewed mind (Romans 12:2). Blaming the brain for behavioral problems might sound good. It might even provide a convenient excuse. But it stands in the way of the mind renewal which God has promised, and even commanded. Those who blame the brain might sincerely believe that they are setting people free from stigma and persecution. But in reality that are placing people in bondage to their problems. They are really saying, “You are a homosexual and you will always be a homosexual.” Or, “You have suffered a stroke and you will never be able to live a normal lifestyle again.” These kinds of statements leave a person with no hope of deliverance.

The Bible is essential to mind renewal. There can be no doubt that reading and listening to God’s Word can eradicate brain problems. After suffering a stroke, doctors told one pastor that he would not be able to function as he did before. But a friend read the Bible to him while was in the hospital. And God’s Word healed the damage in his brain. The Bible, in conjunction with the Holy Spirit, can heal the brain. It can heal the physical problems, the psychological problems, and the obvious sin problems.

While the Bible is central, the use of certain forms of medication cannot and should not be ruled out. The Bible makes no obvious mandate against the use of medication. In fact, Paul told Timothy to “use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities” (1 Timothy 5:23). Today, we have better medications, so the use of alcohol is never to be considered an answer. But some medications can be helpful. While they generally do not cure the problem, they can alleviate the symptoms. This can be helpful as it can make a person more receptive to God’s Word and to wise counsel.

Finally, dealing with the brain should never be seen as something trivial. Sin is sin, and it needs to be addressed. But it must also be handled in a loving fashion, rather than with a spirit of condemnation and self- righteous superiority. Truth and love, working together (Ephesians 4:15), are the only solution to these kinds of problems. Clinical counseling is something that should be treated very carefully. It is not as simple as it might sound; special training is required. And it is often wise to defer cases to trained counselors, preferably Christian counselors.

The Effects of Drugs And Alcohol

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21)

Paul addresses both alcohol and drug use in this passage. The use of the word “drunkenness” is obviously a mandate against the use of alcohol. But the use of the word “witchcraft” is interesting. The Greek word is pharmakeia, from which we get the word “pharmacy.” But pharmakeia is not limited to drug use. The word also carries a connection to sorcery and magic with potions and spells. Ultimately, pharmakeia refers to the deceptions and seductions of idolatry. Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, quite clearly connects the use of drugs to the practice of witchcraft, and ultimately to demonic activity. But what do drugs and alcohol actually do to the brain?

Biblical Psychology

The following table34 gives a very brief overview of the adverse effects of some of the substances in popular use today:

Drug Usage And Effects

Alcohol Alcohol is a “social” drug, used by many people to relax and to celebrate major events in their lives. Side effects include the following: • Reduction in inhibitions • Impaired judgment • Slower reaction times • Unstable emotions • Unconsciousness Amphetamines Amphetamines produce feelings of happiness and power. Side effects include “Speed” • Insomnia • Paranoia • Hallucinations • Aggression Caffeine Caffeine increases alertness. Side effects include • Reduction in fine motor coordination • Insomnia • Headaches • Dizziness Cocaine Cocaine produces euphoria, excitement, and feelings of strength. Side effects include • Extreme depression when the drug wears off • High rate of addiction • Anxiety • Insomnia • Hallucinations Heroin Heroin produces euphoria and reduces anxiety. Side effects include • Nausea • Sedation • Respiratory problems • Comas MDMA MDMA relaxes people and is believed to increased awareness and pleasure. Side “Ecstasy” effects include • Twitching • Blurred vision • Nausea • Seizures Inhalants / Inhalants, such as many common household products, produce similar effects to Solvents alcohol. Side effects include • Hallucinations • Memory loss • Blindness • Nerve damage

34 Neuroscience for Kids – http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html. This was the main source for the material in this table 60

Biblical Psychology

LSD LSD produces feelings of “strangeness,” where people see things in vivid colors. Side effects include • Hallucinations • Confusion • Panic attacks • Psychosis • Flashbacks, years after the drug is used Marijuana Marijuana, like alcohol, is a “social” drug, used by many people to relax. Side effects include • Reduced attention • An altered sense of time and space • Hallucinations • Disorientation Nicotine Nicotine can be both a stimulant and a relaxant, depending upon the individual’s mood at that time. Side effects include • Anxiety • Depression • Headaches • Fatigue Rohypnol Rohypnol is also known as the “date-rape” drug. Side effects include “Roofies” • Memory loss • Reduced inhibitions • Aggressive behavior • Impaired judgment PCP PCP produces minor euphoria, sensory distortions, and sometimes feelings of sepa- “Angel Dust” ration from the body. Side effects include • Amnesia • Blurred vision • Schizophrenic behavior • Seizures

With the exception of caffeine, all of these drugs will result in physical and psychological problems. And all of them can lead to death. In large doses, even caffeine is fatal. However, it would take 80-100 cups of coffee, consumed in quick succession, to cause death. The point is that these substances, with the exception of caffeine, are not worth playing with. The benefits, and it seems as if there are none, are just not worth the price. The physical, financial, social, and legal consequences are bad enough. But the psychological and spiritual consequences are even more severe. Anyone who has witnessed people who are under the influence of drugs and alcohol can quickly testify that they make a person easily susceptible to demonic influence and even demonic possession. It is obvious, then, that they are from Satan. As Paul said, it is better to be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Everything else is a worthless counterfeit.

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 7 The Mind

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment (Mark 12:30)

The mind is the most important part of the soul because it has such a significant impact on the other parts. The mind affects the emotions, the conscience, the self-consciousness, and, ultimately, the will. This is why Watchman Nee said, “Man’s mind is a battlefield.”35 This is the place where Satan and his demons tempt man. Eve was deceived in her mind, not in her emotions. (Although her emotions also responded to this deception.) The enemy cannot attack man’s emotions directly, so he does it through the mind.

Despite the importance of the mind, God does not give the believer a new one. He does give him a new spirit and a new heart (Ezekiel 36:26), but He does not give him a new mind. Instead, He chooses to renew the mind that he already has (Romans 12:2). This is why Paul could say that the believer was both “saved” (Ephesians 2:5; Ephesians 2:8) and “being saved” (1 Corinthians 1:18; 2 Corinthians 2:15 – NKJV36). Paul was certainly not teaching that salvation was a process. Salvation, or justification, is a one-time event that results in a new heart. But sanctification is different. It is a process that involves the renewing of the mind through an internal transformation brought about by God Himself.

This can, and almost certainly will, lead to a conflict within the believer. He has a new heart, but he might still have old ways of thinking. He needs a change. The Greek word translated as “repentance” is metanoia, which literally means to change one’s mind or one’s mindset. With this change of thinking comes a change in behavior. But the order of events is important. Nowhere in the Bible does repentance refer to behavior. And nowhere in the Bible is the believer told to change his behavior. Instead, he is simply told to change his thinking. Changes in behavior will follow. These changes are the joint activity of God renewing the mind and the believer deciding to believe and to embrace the Word of God.

The mind has five functions. These are knowing, thinking, understanding, remembering, and imagining.37 These five functions do not break down into neatly divided compartments. For example, there is overlap of the thinking and understanding. The same is also true of the other parts of the mind, as well as the other parts of the soul. However, the study of the five functions still provides a good understanding of man’s mind and how it works.

The Functions of the Mind

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God (1 John 5:13)

The mind knows. There are three major kinds of knowing in the New Testament. The first of these is ginosko (or gnosis). This type of knowing requires that knowledge be acquired, learned, or observed. It can refer to a person, an object, a piece of information, a truth, etc. Paul wanted to know the Lord (Philippians 3:10). The believer both knows God and is known by God (Galatians 4:9). This is a relationship that grows in intimacy and knowledge. The world, on the other hand, does not know Him (John 1:10). This type of knowing can include a detailed understanding of how another person thinks. For example, Jesus knew “all things” about Si- mon Peter (John 21:17). This does not mean that the omniscient God actually had to learn things about Peter.

35 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 8, Chapter 1, The Mind A Battlefield 36 The King James Version translates both these passages as “saved.” It misses the present participle, which refers to an ongoing action 37 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 8, Chapter 1, The Mind A Battlefield 63

Biblical Psychology

But given Peter’s track record, the statements that Jesus made about him were a perfectly reasonable conclusion. The Jews, on the other hand, could not understand what He said (John 8:43). It is also possible to know God’s will (Acts 22:14). Finally, knowing conveys intimacy and oneness with a person. It can even refer to sexual intimacy, as it did with Joseph and Mary who did not “know” each other before the birth of Jesus (Luke 1:34).

The second “knowing” is oida. This type of knowing is more intuitive that ginosko. Spiros Zodhiates said, “[Ginosko] often suggests an acquired knowledge, but oida suggests intuitive knowledge, that is, I know what I know because I am what I am.”38 Jesus drew a distinction between these two types of knowing when He said, “Ye have not known (ginosko) him; but I know (oida) him” (John 8:55). The Jews had seen Jesus, so they should have known both Him and the Father (John 14:9). But they didn’t. Jesus, on the other hand, always knew the Father. Jesus’s knowledge of His Father was based not upon observation and learning, but upon His identity as the eternal Son of God. This type of knowing can proceed from ginosko. Jesus said, “If you had known (ginosko) Me, you would have known (oida)39 My Father also” (John 14:7 – NASB). Jesus is saying that if they had gotten to know Him, then His intuitive and eternal knowledge of the Father would be theirs. The believer’s new identity in Christ brings with it an intuitive knowledge of the Father. Also, Paul points out that any knowledge that comes from the self-life is worthless when he says, “If any man think that he knoweth (oida) any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know (ginosko)” (1 Corinthians 8:2). The natural man knows nothing within himself. And the believer has only scratched the surface of what can be known.

The third “knowing” is epiginosko (or epignosis). This type of knowing goes beyond gnosis. It is an experien- tial and discerning type of knowing. It is also a progressive and stronger type of knowing. Paul said, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know (ginosko) in part; but then shall I know (epiginosko) even as also I am known (epiginosko)” (1 Corinthians 13:12). This type of knowing comes only through illumination, as the dark glass is replaced by the illumination of the Holy Spirit. The first sin was the pursuit of knowledge. But this does not mean that man is not to know things. The important thing is that he knows things through God’s illumination rather than his own strength, effort, and intellect.

The world tries to tell people that there is no such thing as objective truth or that objective truth cannot be known. This “movement” is known as relativism. But Jesus said, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). There are two important points in this verse. First, He said “ye shall.” This was a both a prophecy and a promise. Objective truth is a promise that the Lord made to His people. Also, the word “truth” is preceded by a definite article. This is supported by the original Greek. This truth is not “a” truth, it is “the” truth. This is the one and only truth. There is no other truth. This is objective truth and Jesus promised that the believer will know it.

Truth sets people free. Relativists do not hold this view. They say, “What is true for you is not necessarily true for me.” They challenge the existence of an objective standard, saying that it does not exist, it cannot be known, it cannot be understood, or it is not something to be desired. They tell people that relativism produces liberty and sets them free. This is why relativism is such a deception. It enslaves people with the lie that truth cannot be known. It makes truth unreachable.

Relativism also denies the existence of an absolute moral law. If there is no objective truth, then there can be no absolute standard of morality. This leads to the lie that man can do whatever he wants and to a place where anything goes. Furthermore, if there is no moral law, then there can be no moral law-giver. This is rebellion against God. In a relativistic world, there can be no God. Instead, the relativist makes his own god.

38 The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Spiros Zodhiates – 1097 : ginosko 39 The majority of Greek texts contain the word ginosko here. But some of the older texts use the word oida 64

Biblical Psychology

The mind is designed by God to know objective truth. This is the only thing that can really be known. People can believe lies, but truth is the only thing that they can actually know. The truth is the only thing that can bring objectivity into a person’s life. It is the only standard by which a man can be judged or evaluated. This is why objectivity is such a huge part of the believer’s life.

Relativists often claim that Christians are arrogant in their assertion that Jesus Christ is the only way. (It is interesting that they do not make the same claims against Muslims, who also believe that their way is the only way.) They say that it is proud to say that you know the truth. But these statements hide an attitude of pride within their own hearts. If a man comes to know the truth, then he is compelled to submit to that truth. Therein lies the root cause of the problem of relativism. Man does not want to submit to truth. Nor does he want to submit to the One who gave him that truth. So to avoid having to submit, he simply claims that there is no such thing as truth.

Relativism also affects man’s communication. The purpose of words is to convey truth. But if there is no truth, then what is the point in having words? Unfortunately, words in the modern world have become a means by which to manipulate and control people. As John Piper said, “The goal of language is no longer the communication of reality but the manipulation of reality. It no longer functions in the glorious capacity of affirming the embrace of truth, but now it functions in the devious capacity of concealing defection of the truth.”40

Relativism should not be confused with misinterpretation of the truth or belief in something that is not true. For example, Muslims are not relativists. They do believe in objective truth. However, they believe that the Koran is the source of that truth. Similarly, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not relativists. They believe that the Bible is God’s objective truth. However, they choose to misinterpret the truth and to mistranslate the Bible where it does not line up with their beliefs. Both groups maintain that their truth is the only truth. Though they are absolutely wrong, they are not relativists.

Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool (Isaiah 1:18)

The mind thinks. There are three major kinds of thinking in the New Testament. The first of these is dokeo. This type of thinking refers to forming an opinion or coming to a conclusion about a matter. Opinions are personal. Different people and different groups have different ways of thinking. Opinions, therefore, are not necessarily incorrect. Paul had opinions. He thought that he and the Apostles were “appointed to death” (1 Corin- thians 4:9). And he thought that he had “Spirit of God” when he was giving marriage counsel to the Church at Corinth (1 Corinthians 7:40). Given the nature of Biblical inspiration, it seems likely that he was right. But it was still opinion. Other opinions are obviously wrong, some due to evil intent and others due to human frailty. When Mary Magdalene saw the risen Christ in the cemetery, she thought that he was the gardener (John 20:15). This was human frailty. But the evil intents of the Pharisees caused them to think that simply searching the Scriptures would give them eternal life (John 5:39). Paul made many references to people’s wrong opinions. He gave stern warnings to those who thought that they knew things (1 Corinthians 8:2), who thought that they were wise (1 Corinthians 3:18), and who thought that they were beyond temptation (1 Corinthians 10:12). Jesus and the Pharisees would ask each other about their opinions. The Pharisees asked Jesus about His thoughts on paying taxes to Caesar (Matthew 22:17). And Jesus asked them about their thoughts concerning the Christ (Matthew 22:41-42). But nowhere do we read about Jesus giving His opinion. As the source of absolute truth, opinion was not something that concerned Him. Furthermore, it did not concern His disciples either. When He asked Simon Peter who he thought that He was, He said, “But whom say ye that I am?” (Mat- thew 16:15). This was an issue of divine revelation, not personal opinion.

40 Think : The Life of the Mind and the Love of God – John Piper – Chapter 8, The Immorality Of Relativism 65

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The second “thinking” is logizomai, from where we get the word “logic.” This type of thinking involves meditation and repetition. This kind of thinking has a deep effect on the human soul. For example, Paul told the Philippians to think about things that were true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praise- worthy (Philippians 4:8). The result of such thinking and meditation would be healthy emotions, which would experience joy and peace. The chief priests and the scribes, on the other hand, “reasoned with themselves” concerning the issue of John’s baptism (Mark 11:31). Their thinking, which was evil, involved finding ways to attack Jesus while protecting themselves and their reputations. This kind of thinking and meditation brings no peace. The word translated as “impute” is, in most cases, logizomai. James said, “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness” (James 2:23). And Paul said, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin” (Romans 4:8). This is how God thinks. These are God’s thoughts towards man, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil” (Jeremiah 29:11). In God’s mind and God’s economy, salvation is reasonable. It is logical.

The third “thinking” is phroneo. This type of thinking refers to a mindset or an attitude. Attitude is important. Some people have carnal attitudes while others have spiritual attitudes (Romans 8:5), both of which affect their lives. When Peter tried to stop Jesus from going to the Cross, the Lord rebuked him, saying, “Get thee behind me, Satan” and telling him that he had a worldly mindset (Matthew 16:23). What is needed is a heavenly mindset (Colossians 3:2). Others have a mindset concerning their own importance. Paul addressed this when he told the believers at Rome not to think more highly of themselves than they out to think, “but to think soberly” (Romans 12:3). Instead, man needs to take on Christ’s mindset and Christ’s attitude (Philippians 2:5-8).

Watchman Nee said, “Our thoughts are the seeds of our conduct.”41 The Bible confirms this (Proverbs 23:7). Therefore, thinking is very important. Thinking is not an enemy to the spiritual life. Rather, it is essential. Thinking and meditating on God’s Word are crucial to a healthy life. Unfortunately, we live in a world where thinking is frowned upon. This is true both of the world, with its emphasis on entertainment, and of the Church. For many, being unable to think is a badge of honor. They call it humility, as if they are poor, weak individuals without capacity. This is really another form of pride. Thinking is also important in evangelism. Paul “reasoned … out of the Scriptures” (Acts 17:2). While logic and thinking alone cannot lead a person to Christ, it is true that thinking is part of the process. John Piper says that “a logical presentation of the Gospel of Christ is like wire along which the electricity of spiritual power runs.”42 His point is that evangelism needs both the Holy Spirit and a logical presentation of the Gospel.

Thinking on particular topics produces patterns within the mind. This process, known as cognitive mapping, produces collections of inter-connected and inter-related thoughts. These collections of thoughts are referred to as cluster thoughts or categories. In the Bible, the pomegranate is a good illustration of cluster thoughts as it contains groups of seeds that are grouped together in clusters. In the mind, individual seed thoughts can be

41 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 8, Chapter 4, The Law Of The Mind 42 Think : The Life of the Mind and the Love of God – John Piper – Chapter 9, Unhelpful Anti-intellectual Impulses in Our History 66

Biblical Psychology grouped together to form a complete thought on a particular topic. The idea of categorical doctrine43 is based upon these cluster thoughts. Multiple thoughts on a particular doctrine are grouped together to form a category. The important thing to remember here is the need for thinking and meditation. It is not sufficient simply to be taught correct doctrine. It is also important to meditate upon the doctrine that is being taught. Only then are the categories developed.

Clear thinking requires a moral foundation. Aristotle stated that the rational life cannot get along unless the moral life is firm. Only men and women of character and integrity can think and argue in a rational manner. This is evident in evangelism. It does not matter how clear the Gospel is presented, a person with an immoral mindset will still not comprehend it. His mind will still be clouded by his own depravity. This is why the spiritual illumination of the Holy Spirit is required.

The purpose of thinking must be to glorify God. This is why God gave man a mind. This is why any thought that “exalteth itself against the knowledge of God” must be cast down (2 Corinthians 10:5). For the natural man or the carnal man, thinking is there to serve him. His thinking is twisted in a way that justifies his beliefs or his desires. He asks questions, not because he interested in knowing the truth, but because he has an agenda. His questions might be logical, but they are still immoral. Jesus received many such questions (John 8:5-6), but He refused to answer them directly. He refused to get drawn into a trap. Similarly, the natural man or the carnal man could believe that the purpose of thinking is to help him get things done. This might seem perfectly reasonable, especially if he is using his mind for the work of the ministry. But his self-life is still at the center of his thinking. The spiritual man, on the other hand, realizes that God gave him a mind so that he could think with God and love God.

The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18)

The mind understands. There are three major kinds of understanding in the New Testament. The first of these is suniemi (or sunesis). This type of understanding involves a person putting the pieces together or grasping a concept. In other words, “He gets it.” Spiros Zodhiates said, “The comprehending activity of the mind denoted by suniemi entails the assembling of individual facts into an organized whole, as collecting the pieces of a puzzle and putting them together. The mind grasps concepts and sees the proper relationship between them.”44 In this sense, believers can grasp and understand God’s will (Ephesians 5:17) and God’s Word (Matthew 13:23). Good soil is essential for good understanding. Some who hear very little will grasp it (Romans 15:21), while others who hear a lot will not (Matthew 13:13 & Acts 28:26). The truth is that the natural man does not get it; in fact, no one gets it (Romans 3:11). It takes the Holy Spirit’s illumination to make this happen. As one would expect, Jesus had the greatest grasp of the Scriptures, but people were still amazed (Luke 2:47).

The second “understanding” is noeo (or nous). This type of understanding talks about the ability to understand and the process of understanding. The word nous is also translated as “mind.” God gives people the ability to process information (Ephesians 3:4; 1 John 5:20). But many are still hardened to God’s Word and are unable to process it (John 12:40). Others want to be teachers, even though they have no desire to understand God’s Word (1 Timothy 1:7). Faith and humility are necessary for understanding (Hebrews 11:3). God will not reveal truth to proud people. There a connection between noeo and sumiemi. The first always precedes the second. Jesus “opened their understanding (nous), that they might comprehend (suniemi) the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45 NKJV). And Paul asked Timothy to “consider” (noeo) what he said so that the Lord would give him “understanding (sunesis) in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7).

43 The term “Categorical Doctrine” was coined by Pastor Carl Stevens. It refers to a logical and methodical study of the Bible based upon specific topics, or categories 44 The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Spiros Zodhiates – 1097 : suniemi 67

Biblical Psychology

The third “understanding” is epistamai. This type of understanding refers to familiarity or acquaintance with someone or something. It also means to fix one’s mind upon something. Peter was familiar with the law concerning Jews keeping company with Gentiles (Acts 10:28). The Church at Ephesus was familiar with Paul’s ministry (Acts 20:18). Agrippa was familiar with Paul’s teaching (Acts 26:26), although he would not embrace it. Evil spirits were acquainted with Paul (Acts 19:15). But Peter denied his acquaintance with the Lord (Mark 14:68). Abraham obeyed God by faith, without being acquainted with where he was going (Hebrews 11:8). And the believer does not need to be acquainted with what will happen tomorrow (James 4:14).

When man understands something, it becomes part of him. When a believer understands some great truth from the Bible, this truth becomes part of his life. Spiritual understanding and spiritual illumination bring God’s Word to life. They make it practical and relevant in the believer’s life. The believer no longer looks on the Bi- ble as a collection of doctrines and rules.

Understanding can be a great source of joy and satisfaction. When a believer truly “gets it,” it can have a profound affect on his life. But it requires humility and a pure heart. To understand can also be stated as to “stand under.” In order to understand God’s truth, a person must be prepared to stand under that truth or to be submitted to that truth. Man’s old heart hinders this. Man’s old heart is blind and darkens his understanding (Ephe- sians 4:18). But Man’s new heart allows God’s truth to illuminate his mind and give him understanding.

This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: (2 Peter 3:1)

The mind remembers. There are two major kinds of remembering in the New Testament. The first of these is mimnesko (or mnesis). This is a basic kind of remembering. The believer is to remember fellow believers who are in prison for their faith (Hebrews 13:3), just as God remembers man (Hebrews 2:6). But this kind of remembering is further defined by two Greek prefixes, ana and hupo. Anamimnesko is an unprompted kind of remembering, where a person recalls something on his own, without any external prompting. When Peter denied Jesus, he remembered that He had prophesied it (Mark 14:72). When the Jewish people took their sacrifices to the Temple, it actually led to them remembering their sins (Hebrews 10:3). And the believer is told to remember the Lord in the Communion (Luke 22:19). Hupomimnesko, on the other hand, is a prompted kind of remembering. Peter had a desire to stir up people’s memories (2 Peter 3:1). Paul was also reminded of Timo- thy’s great faith (2 Timothy 1:5).45 And the Holy Spirit will “bring all things to your remembrance” (John 14.26).

45 The King James Version misses the use of the word hupomnesis in this passage 68

Biblical Psychology

The second “remembering” is mnemoneuo. This type of remembering is much deeper than mimnesko. It is more meditative and contemplative, involving the exercise of the memory. It has a sense of reminiscence, and even nostalgia. The believer is told to remember and contemplate God’s Word (John 15:20). Simple memori- zation is not sufficient; the Word requires meditation also. He is also told to remember both church leadership (Hebrews 13:7) and those less fortunate, such as the poor (Galatians 2:10). Such meditation leads to prayer. He also is told to “remember Lot's wife” (Luke 17:32).

Some things need to be remembered, and other things need to be forgotten. Paul told the Ephesians to remember that they were once “without Christ” (Ephesians 2:11-12). But the author of Hebrews warns the Jewish believers that if the Abraham and Sarah had remembered where they had come from, they might have been tempted to return to their old land. In both cases, the word mnemoneuo is used. It is incorrect to simply tell people that they need to forget their pasts. The real issue is what a person does with what he remembers. Paul was telling the Ephesian believers to never forget that they were once sinners, without Christ and without hope. He wanted to remind them of the greatness of the gift of salvation that they had received. Just a few verses earlier, he had told them that salvation was by grace alone, without any help from man. When a believer remembers and meditates on the fact that he was once a lost sinner, he will have an attitude of gratitude rather than an attitude of pride.

However, the author of Hebrews is dealing with the problem of nostalgia or regression. When God’s people were wandering around the wilderness, they remembered all of the good food that they had eaten in Egypt, such as fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic (Numbers 11:5). But they forgot that they were slaves. They should have taken God’s advice and remembered all that He had done for them (Deuteronomy 5:15, 7:18, 15:15). Solomon gave the same warning when he said, “Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these?” (Ecclesiastes 7:10). It is very easy for a believer to get nostalgic and to look back on his past life with fond memories. He remembers all of the good times (which were really not good at all), but he conveniently forgets the misery that came with the old life. Nostalgia can be destructive. Living in the past can prevent a believer from looking to the future. This is why Paul wrote, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

The English word “amnesia” comes from the Greek word mnesis. It means to have no memory or to forget. When it comes to our sins, God has amnesia (Isaiah 43:25). But He does make a note of us in a “book of remembrance” (Malachi 3:16). The believer should follow God’s lead here and forget his sins, as well as the sins of his brothers and sisters.

Memory can also involve the subconscious, and even the unconscious, mind. Peter fell into a trance and received a revelation of the Finished Work (Acts 10:10-16). When he woke up, he remembered the vision and he realized that the Gospel was for all men. There are a great many things in man’s subconscious and unconscious mind of which he is not aware. Unfortunately, many of these things are negative memories of the past life. Past wounds and scars can play havoc with a believer. The answer is to remember that “Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead” (2 Timothy 2:8). The answer is to remember and meditate on the Fin- ished Work.

And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed: (Genesis 37:6)

The mind imagines. There are two major kinds of “imagining” in the New Testament. The first is meletao. This type of imagining means to care for or to attend to something. It can also mean to plan or to plot. Peter and John talked about the people imagining “vain things” (Acts 4:25). Jesus told the Jewish people not to imagine, or “premeditate,” what they would say if they were arrested for being believers (Mark 13:11). Instead, the believer is to imagine and to meditate on his ministry (1 Timothy 4:15). This premeditation, or rehearsal, can also be called self-talk or scripting. The believer can take control of his thought life through the Word of

Biblical Psychology

God (Colossians 3:16). He does not tell himself that he is worthless, overweight, stupid, ugly, etc. These are irrelevant statements that have nothing to do the believer’s identity. Nor does he listen to the psychic noise that comes from his sub-conscious mind, satanic projections, and his old sin nature. These initiations, no matter how loud and real they might appear, are just background noise. Instead, he tells himself what God thinks about him, “thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11). The “expected end” is an example of scripting, where the believer is determining the plot and outcome of his own life by meditating on and rehearsing the promises of God. The imagination, then, is important. It impacts the rest of the soul and ultimately impacts a person’s spiritual life.

The second “imagining” is olomai. This consists of supposition and fantasy. It refers to wishful thinking, pointless worry, and even daydreaming. Paul talked of people who imagined that their actions would add to his afflictions (Philippians 1:16). James addressed people whose imagination led them to believe that they would “receive any thing of the Lord,” despite their lack of faith (James 1:7).

Joseph had a dream (Genesis 37:6) and it got him into a lot of trouble with his brothers. But dreams and visions are important. The Holy Spirit causes old men to have dreams and young men to have visions (Joel 2:28). And “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Proverbs 29:18). It is important to exercise one’s imagination. The right kind of imagination can cause tremendous growth in a believer as he increases in prayer, faith, and love. It can be very beneficial to picture more souls being saved and more churches being planted. Planning is a great thing to do, provided that one understands and accepts that God’s plan will always supercede man’s plan and that He has veto authority. It is a beautiful thing for believer to imagine that great day when we will meet the Lord face to face.

Spiritual imaginations are a wonderful thing, but the flesh has its own ideas and its own agenda. Wicked people devise wicked plans and plot against God and His people (Psalm 64:6). Their imaginations run wild. Fur- thermore, God said of man that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Man has fantasies. Some people fantasize about sex, while others fantasize about power and money. Man’s perversions are frequently played out in his fantasies. These fantasies may never actually happen, but they are still wicked. Some people fantasize about causing pain to others. Thoughts of revenge are fantasies that can consume a person. He spends all of their time imagining ways of getting even with someone who has hurt them, and they may even plan ways of making these fantasies become a reality. These fantasies control him. Finally, some people have fantasies which appear to be good but which are actually rooted in the self-life. For example, imagining what it would be like to be some great philanthropist or some great preacher sounds good. But who gets the glory? Imaging oneself to be a super-hero is really another form of rebellion against God. Fantasies are very similar to nostalgia in that they both prevent a person from moving on with God.

Three Kinds of Mind

This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (Ephesians 4:17-18)

Paul talks about three types of man – the natural man, the carnal man, and the spiritual man (1 Corinthians 2:14 – 3:3). The natural man is unsaved, the carnal man is saved but living in the flesh, and the spiritual man is saved and living in the spirit. These three men have three different types of soul. The parts of their souls will also differ. Investigating these differences is important, as it can help to explain a great deal about man’s thoughts, words, and behavior. The natural man, then, has a natural mind. This mind is totally dark, because the only source it has is man’s old heart. It has no options. It can choose darkness, or it can choose darkness.

Biblical Psychology

The natural mind is blind to the truth. This blindness comes about because man’s old heart is blind. The minds of the Jewish people were blind because there was a veil over their hearts (2 Corinthians 3:14). Religion blinds people. Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, religious Jews, etc., are all blind to the truth. When the truth about Jesus Christ and the Gospel of grace is presented to them, they simply cannot see it. This blindness comes from Satan (2 Corinthians 4:4). He is the one who blinds men’s hearts so that they cannot see and cannot believe. Instead, they see solutions to their problems in other places. This is what makes their blindness so much worse. They are blind, but they believe that they can see. Their blindness is caused by deception. Jesus pointed this problem out to the Pharisees who thought that they had good sight (John 9:39-41). This is why evangelism can be so frustrating. The Gospel is so clear and so obvious. And we ask, “Why don’t they see it?” The answer is blindness.

The natural mind is also futile. Everything that the natural mind does is a waste of time. It does not matter how brilliant, intelligent, strong, or artistic an unsaved person is, he is still wasting his time. Solomon saw the futili- ty of the natural life when he said, “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Jesus said the same thing when He said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Sadly, people are building their futures, only to lose them all when they die (Luke 12:18-20). The natural mind is preoccupied with making money, being popular, getting in shape, etc. But without Christ, it’s all futile.

Finally, the natural mind is an enemy of God (Colossians 1:21). This will come as a surprise to a great many religious people. Many people claim to be doing things for God. But until a man allows God to do something for him, he will remain an enemy of God. Before man can do anything for God, he must allow God to save him. Until that happens, he will be God’s enemy. Paul made it very clear how much of an enemy the natural mind is to God (Romans 1:21-25). The natural mind does not glorify God. The natural mind is not thankful to God. The natural mind defiles God by worshipping “birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” And the natural mind worships and serves “the creature more than the Creator.”

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be (Romans 8:7)

The carnal mind is similar to the natural mind. The difference, however, is that the carnal mind has a choice. It has access to man’s new heart, so it can choose light. The carnal mind is not blind, it is deceived. The Galatian believers were deceived, or “bewitched” (Galatians 3:1). All deception is ultimately against the truth of the Finished Work of Jesus Christ. This is why Paul used the phrase “be not deceived” three times in his epistles, addressing legalism (Galatians 6:7), lasciviousness (1 Corinthians 6:9), and corrupt speech (1 Corinthians 15:33). A man who says he has no sin is deceived (1 John 1:8). The man who uses grace as a license to sin is also deceived (1 John 3:7). And deception leads to corrupt speech, and ultimately to conspiracy. Paul drew a strong parallel between those who were deceived and those who were doing the deceiving (2 Timothy 3:13).

The carnal mind is prone to passivity. The passive mind is a mind with no discernment and a mind that is open to all sorts of unhealthy initiations. The passive mind does not realize that it is the No. 1 target of the enemy. Satan cannot attack the new heart and the human spirit, so he goes after the mind. It is important, therefore, for the believer to be proactive when it comes to defending his mind. Meditation on God’s Word is vital to the healthy mind. The Word of God is the only offensive weapon in the believer’s army (Ephesians 6:17). Satan knows this, so he has come up with a counterfeit form of meditation. Transcendental Meditation is not really meditation. Meditation involves thinking, but Transcendental Meditation involves the emptying of the mind. This is one of the most dangerous things that a believer, or any person for that matter, can get himself involved in. It is an open invitation to demonic initiation. It is like a person who puts a sign on his home saying, “Open House. Demons Welcome.” God certainly wants all of the old stuff to be purged from the believer’s mind. But this is not the way He does things. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The second “must” was added by the translators. It is not in the original Greek. When Christ increases in the

Biblical Psychology believer, then all of the other stuff will inevitably depart. This increase in Christ comes from meditation on the Word of God, Body Life, and the filling of the Holy Spirit.

Passivity leads to uncertainty and instability. The foundation of the Finished Work is permanent and eternal. In the mind of the passive believer, the foundation starts to crumble and he is “carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14). The result is worry, anxiety, insomnia, distraction, and random thought patterns. Paranoia in the passive believer leads to defensive patterns of behavior. He can become stubborn, always trying to defend what he believes, even if it is from the enemy. And he can be talkative. The passive mind has a great deal of random and meaningless thoughts. This lack of coherent thought leads to a lack of coherent speech.

The carnal mind is opinionated. His mind is closed to new ideas because he believes that his ideas are the only ones that are right. He might pretend to listen to what others have to say, but he will always filter what he hears through what he already believes to be true. He may say that he has convictions, but he is unable to defend them using God’s Word. It is his opinion that he knows everything, but in fact he knows nothing (1 Co- rinthians 8:2). Opinionated people are insecure and afraid. Their opinions are not grounded in God’s Word, so they can be easily revealed for what they really are. This is why opinionated people surround themselves with “yes men,” people who will not challenge them. The pride of the opinionated man says, “I know better,” or even, “I am more spiritual.” But opinions are really fleshly strongholds. They are thoughts, notions, and concepts that are cast in stone. But in the spiritual man, they are liquid. The last word on opinions comes from Bill Freeman: “By holding opinion, we cut off the organic flow of life between us, insulating ourselves from other members of the Body.” 46

The carnal mind is subjective. Objective thinking is thinking that is grounded in the Word of God. Any other kind of thinking is subjective. Subjectivity is rooted in selfish desires and is a big problem when it comes to studying the Bible. A subjective mind will read the Bible looking for passages that support personal desires, and ignoring those that do not. It is not uncommon for people to subjectively use the Word of God to support their particular sins, such as social drinking, homosexuality, not attending a local assembly, etc. As Shake- speare once said, “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.”47 The subjective mind can easily find Scrip- tures to support its personal opinions. Subjectively twisting the Scriptures is not limited to those desiring to sin and those desiring to propagate false teachings. Sincere people with sound doctrine can also bend the Scrip- tures if they find a portion of text that seems to contradict cardinal doctrines such as the deity of Christ and the Finished Work. It is alright to say, “I don’t understand this portion of Scripture.” In time, God will provide the correct illumination and understanding.

Because the subjective person has already come to a conclusion before he hears something, he will find it hard to learn anything new. His excuse might be that he has strong convictions or that he has settled beliefs. While all of this is good, he still needs to be open and flexible in his thinking. Otherwise, he might even have problems hearing from God. Watchman Nee said, “It is true that God’s worker should be stable; his pathway should be straight and unwavering. But if his opinions, views, and judgments are also set and unyielding, he will have very little chance of learning any lesson, and his usefulness will be very limited.”48 Balaam was subjective. He had his own desires for his ministry. So he kept praying until God said “yes” (Numbers 20:20). Abraham, on the other hand, was not subjective. When God told him to sacrifice Isaac, he was ready to obey (Genesis 22:2). When God told him not to sacrifice Isaac, he also obeyed (Genesis 22:12). He did not question God’s command. He simply received it, believed it, and obeyed it.

46 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 3, The Expression Of Self - Opinion 47 The Merchant Of Venice – William Shakespeare – Act 1, Scene 3 48 The Character Of The Lord’s Worker – Watchman Nee – Chapter 8, Not Subjective 72

Biblical Psychology

Finally, the carnal mind can be divisive. Division is rooted in opinions and subjectivity. Bill Freeman said, “Satan works through opinion to divide, insulate, and disintegrate.”49 Because they are sourced in the Tree of Knowledge, the carnal man’s mindset becomes one of “I am right, and he is wrong.” His insecurity causes him to expect everyone to be like him. He expects people to think like him, speak like him, and act like him. He hates diversity, and longs for uniformity. This kind of attitude violates the priesthood of other believers. It violates both their privacy and their liberty. It is both judgmental and manipulative.

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:2)

Unlike the carnal mind, the spiritual mind is renewed. It is clear, bright, and objective. Mind renewal brings God’s light and God’s illumination to man’s mind. Mind renewal brings the spiritual mind into the light of God’s Word (Psalm 119:105) and the light of God’s truth (Psalm 43:3). It gives him a new and spiritual walk (1 John 1:7). John said, “You have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things” (1 John 2:20 - NKJV). Paul writes of the believer having an increase in wisdom, revelation, and understanding (Ephesians 1:17-18). The result is that the spiritual man knows things and understands things in a totally new way. He has a new mindset (Romans 8:27). Things that the natural man and the carnal man cannot comprehend make total sense to the spiritual mind. He may not always be able to express himself with words, but he knows what he knows and he knows that he is right. This does not lead to subjectivity because everything he knows and understands is confirmed by God’s Word.

Thinking and the anointing go hand-in-hand. The spiritual mind is not passive, but thinks in an active and a positive fashion. Many false concepts of the anointing have developed; some of which have had a devastating impact on the individual’s desire or ability to think. Charismatic movements have placed an undue emphasis on experience and emotions, leaving little or no room for the mind. Many concepts related to anointing are cloudy and subjective. But the anointing is really related to the mind. The emotions will then follow suit as the mind starts to think correctly. The anointing, then, gives the mind the ability to think in clarity. It is this anointing that adds definition to messages, classes, and personal study time. In short, the anointed mind is a thinking mind.

The spiritual mind is objective. The spiritual man loves God’s Word and “in [God’s] law doth he meditate day and night” (Psalm 1:2). The Bible is objective. Therefore, reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible will result in an objective mindset. God’s Word imparts God’s thoughts to the spiritual mind. Vain thoughts and vain imaginations have no place in the spiritual mind. Instead, the spiritual mind has a sharp focus on the things of God.

The spiritual mind has a beneficial effect on the rest of the believer’s soul. Past memories are erased, along with any associated pain or feelings of nostalgia. The emotions become stable, the conscience becomes clean, and the self-consciousness becomes God-conscious.

Self-centered opinions have no place in the spiritual mind. The spiritual man is no longer interested in being “right.” Instead, he understands that people are different and that they are in different places. He is no longer a person whose thoughts and opinions are set in stone. Instead, he is more fluid. He still has convictions, but these convictions come from a heart of flesh rather that a heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26). Paul talks about the believer who is strong in doctrine and understands the liberty that he has in Christ. But he gives a stern warning to the Corinthian Church to “take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). A believer can be too obsessed with being right that he ends up being wrong. The spiritual mind, on the other hand, takes the higher road.

49 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 3, The Expression Of Self - Opinion 73

Biblical Psychology

Because the spiritual man does not clutch his opinions, he is also less likely to be divisive. He is free and secure, and wants other believers to be the same. He understands that unity and diversity are not exclusive, but that they are actually two sides of the same coin. Paul talks about the need to accept the diverse beliefs of different believers. “One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike” (Romans 14:5). He saw no reason to make an issue of this, stating that both gave glory and honor to God. It is very easy to look down on those people who seem to lack liberty in their lives. Frequently, this turns to judgment, and ultimately to division. But Paul said, “Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind” (Romans 14:5).

A Mind that Loves and a Love that Thinks

Love … thinks no evil (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 - NKJV)

The spiritual mind is a mind that loves. This element of the spiritual mind deserves separate treatment from the other elements because love is such a major Bible theme. There are four types of love mentioned in the Bible. One of these types of love stands out from the others, standing above in purity and perfection. This is God’s unconditional love, or subjective love.50 The Greek word for this kind of love is agape. Normally, love is thought of as an emotion. This is certainly the way the world looks at love. Consequently, the love that exists in the world is unstable. People in the world so easily fall in love. And then, just as easily, they fall out of love. Their love is emotional. It is a response to situations and circumstances around them. It is a response to a particular person or group of persons. But agape love is different. It is not based upon situations or people. There- fore, it is not an emotional response. Instead, it is a decision and a mindset which affects the other parts of the soul.

This might all seem very clear and logical. But an understanding of love might lead the reader to a realization that he is not as spiritual as he thought he was, that he does not love the way he thought he did, and that his thinking is, in fact, evil. Evil thinking incorporates several elements that will come as a shock to the normal believer. Evil thinking includes envy, suspicion, revenge, brooding, unfair opinions, complaining, fault- finding, etc. Evil thinking includes questioning the integrity, truthfulness, and character of other believers. Evil thinking includes receiving and spreading evil reports, even if these reports are true. Evil thinking is deceived and leads to conspiracy. Evil thinking often starts off with a “root of bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15-16) and can have disastrous results on the individual, the family, the Church, and the world.

Evil thinking started with Satan. His rebellion was ultimately a rebellion against God’s agape love. He has spread this rebellion throughout the entire world, with the result that the world is full of miserable people. Charles Finney once said, “Show me an uncharitable man, and I will show you an unhappy man.”51 Evil and uncharitable thinking makes man unhappy. He is discontent, tormented, and has an unpleasant demeanor. Ul- timately, he has no peace. The only mind that has peace is a mind that loves.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 – NKJV)

… Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know (1 Corinthians 8:1-2)

John Piper said, “Knowing and thinking exist for the sake of love – for the sake of building people up in the faith. Thinking that produces pride instead of love is not true thinking.”52 If there is no love, then man’s

50 The term “Subjective Love” was coined by Pastor Carl Stevens. It refers to a love that is based on the subject or the performer of the love, and not the object or the receiver of that love. In other words, God loves man because of His own character and nature 51 Charity thinketh no evil – Professor G. G. Finney – The Oberlin Evangelist, February 28th 1849 52 Think : The Life of the Mind and the Love of God – John Piper – Chapter 12, The Knowledge That Loves 74

Biblical Psychology thoughts, man’s words, and man’s actions all add up to a big zero (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). Pride is the problem. It is the enemy of love. For many, the acquisition of knowledge is a life-long pursuit. Unfortunately, the Church has not escaped this form of pride. What is more important? Being right, or loving people? For many Christians, being right is a big deal. They may defend their position, saying that they have strong convictions or saying that what they know is of utmost importance. But is knowledge more important than love? 1 Corin- thians 13 is often referred to as the “Love Chapter.” But in fact the entire book is about love. Paul stresses the importance of love over knowledge. For example, Paul knew that eating meat offered to idols was not a big deal (1 Corinthians 8:4). He also knew that not all of the Corinthian believers had that knowledge (1 Corinthi- ans 8:7). Paul’s position was simple. Even though he knew that he had the right to eat meat offered to idols, he would not do it. In fact, he decided to go so far as to say that he would not eat any kind of meat, just in case someone got the wrong idea (1 Corinthians 8:13). In short, Paul decided to put love ahead of knowledge.

Knowledge means nothing without the Cross. It is only through crucifixion that knowledge can lead to love. A believer who says that he has strong convictions might, in fact, be hiding secret pride. He might be proud of the fact that he knows more than other believers. His knowledge, then, is for his own benefit. The Bible contains many passages and many teachings that have been interpreted differently by different groups. For example, different denominations have different views on what the Bible says about local church government. The three major views are episcopalian, presbyterian, and congregational. It does not seem possible that all three positions can be right, so why did the Holy Spirit inspire the apostles the write the Bible in a way that would allow such diverse interpretations? One answer might be to test the Church and to see if she would put love before knowledge. There are, of course, certain non-negotiable doctrines about which there can be no room for discussion. These doctrines would include the Deity of Christ. Fellowship with groups that do not adhere to this cardinal teaching, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, is simply not possible. But the issue of church government is different. Different denominations might disagree, but they can still have fellowship.

Paul Billheimer said, “No breach in the Body of Christ is caused primarily by superior knowledge, differing convictions, or divergent views of truth; but by one thing and only one – lack of agape love.”53 Can any one human being say that he has the monopoly on truth? Yes, but that Person’s name is Jesus Christ! The rest of us might come up with statements such as “I just tell people what the Bible says,” or, “I know that I am right because I was well taught.” But behind all of this might be personal opinion, and personal opinion can become an idol. Agape love, on the other hand, welcomes different opinions and diverse views. In the case of church government, it might be that all three positions are correct, at least to some degree. When a local assembly is submitted to the leadership and guidance of the Holy Spirit, then all three forms of government will be in agreement. The pastor/teacher, the board of elders, and the congregation will all be in one accord with the wishes of the Holy Spirit. At that point, does it really matter which form of government is in place?

Love … does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6 – NKJV)

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corin- thians 2:16)

Agape love takes a higher road than knowledge. Knowledge receives, but love gives. Loving people becomes more important than being right. Love-centered thinking takes the mind to a whole new level. It gives the believer the “mind of Christ.” When it came to scriptural knowledge, no one could surpass the knowledge of the Pharisees. But they did not have love. Therefore, they could not communicate with Jesus Christ on His level. In the story of the woman caught in adultery (John 8:3-11), the Pharisees tried to challenge Jesus on the basis of good vs. evil. They wanted to know what Jesus thought was right and what He thought was wrong. But Je- sus took the issue to a higher level. He took it to the level of love. The issue for Jesus was not right and wrong, but love. There is an important lesson here for the believer.

53 Love Covers – Paul E. Billheimer – Chapter 8, The Bridge Is Agape Love 75

Biblical Psychology

The “mind of Christ” gives the believer a new way of thinking. He now has a new mindset (Philippians 2:5-8). This mindset is a mindset of humility and selfless love. Jesus is God. Therefore, Jesus is right. Whatever the subject, Jesus is right. But He chose to give up His right to be right in order that He could take the higher road and demonstrate the beauty of agape love. The mind that loves is prepared to do this. Because of love, it is prepared to put aside its rights for the sake of others.

Iniquity is the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is occupied with what is right and what is wrong. Peter’s attempt to prevent Jesus from going to the Cross is a perfect example of iniquity. Peter was thinking in terms of right and wrong. In human terms, Peter was right. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ was a crime. How could anyone justify criticizing him for trying to save his master? But Jesus was thinking at a higher level. He was thinking in terms of agape love. This is why He said, “Get thee behind me, Satan,” (Mat- thew 16:23). Peter had the mindset of Satan, the source of all iniquity. But it was important for Jesus that Peter would have the “mind of Christ” and the mindset of truth.

In the mind of Christ, this truth is connected both with grace (John 1:14-17) and with love (Ephesians 4:15). Truth and love go hand-in-hand. People in the world have little respect for churches that choose one at the ex- pense of the other. Believers are called to be a testimony to the world. Televangelists having affairs, denominations that endorse fornication and homosexuality, ministries that believe in social drinking, the “Prosperity Gospel,” etc. are examples of what can happen when the people of God turn their backs on the truth. And there is no love there either. Similarly, churches that preach the law, but do nothing to help people are examples of what can happen when love is missing.

The Salvation Army, however, is different. Its members have a strong moral code and live pure lives, even though they might be a little legalistic. But they also help people. As a result of this, people respect them. On Friday and Saturday nights, they still go into the public houses in England asking for donations and handing out magazines. The landlords and the clientele of these establishments might not agree with what the Salvation Army believes. And their presence might not be good for business. But they still allow them onto their premis- es. Why is this? It is because their ministry consists of both truth and love.

Love … bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:7 – NKJV)

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:35)

Jesus’s words are important not just in what they say, but in what they don’t say. He did not say that people would recognize them as His disciples because of their deep comprehension of doctrine. Or, because of their great programs. Or, because of the size of their Churches. Or, because of their great prosperity. Correct doctrine and good teaching are important. Effective ministerial programs are a central part of the call. But the issue for Jesus was that the disciples loved each other.

Churches are hospitals for spiritually sick people. Emotional wounds and psychological scars are healed in the assembly. Without agape love, however, such healings would never happen. People come in from a world that either promotes their sins or condemns them for their sins, and frequently it displays a combination of both. This mindset is contrary to the mindset of truth and love. Jesus commanded His disciples to love each other (John 15:12). This is what wounded people need. And this is why local churches have been such beacons of light over its 2,000 year history. This is the love that draws unbelievers to Christ and His Body.

Biblical Psychology

Relationships are a major area where love is frequently missing. Selfish and self-centered people have an idealistic picture of the way relationships should be. The following is an excerpt from a class taught by Pastor Thomas Schaller:

“Consider a train. It is going in a definite direction. It has very little lateral movement; the only real varia- ble is speed. There is tight control. With a ship on the sea, it, too, is going in a definite direction. The captain knows its course. But he has many variables to face – the current, the waves, and the wind. And in a storm, the ship can be carried up on the swell. It tilts, leans, it can be carried hundreds of meters left or right, but the captain has the “feel” that it is OK. He has his feet on the deck. He can allow for a lot of movement and still know that he is right on course. But the train engineer has very little room for movement, maybe only a couple of centimeters in the carriages jiggling from side to side.

So in relationships, let people be people, but know what you're doing. Have a feel for the direction of things. You can’t control, but you can have an influence. The captain of the ship knows about the swell, the tilt, the wind, the current. But he “feels” the ship. The train engineer has no lateral movement. No extra factors, there is no room outside the ideal picture. People want their relationships to be like that.”54

In relationships, then, love gives people freedom but exerts an influence. Love gives people space and accepts their little idiosyncrasies.

Love never fails … (1 Corinthians 13:8 – NKJV)

Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted (Galatians 6:1)

What is the purpose of being right? And why is it important to know when a brother fails? What is the motivation? Is it love and restoration? Or, is it an opportunity to be self-righteous and superior? Jesus warned of such problems when He said, “And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3 – NKJV). Self-righteous people always think that other people’s sins are worse than their own, never realizing that their own sins are “planks.” But there is more. Jesus went on to say, “First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5 – NKJV). The self-righteous person cannot see clearly. He cannot see what is really important.

What is needed is humility and meekness. The humble person knows that he has a plank in his eye. He sees himself in the Finished Work, so he does not see the plank. But nevertheless, he still knows it is there. This enables him to see things clearly. He sees that he is just as susceptible to sin and to temptation as the brother who is failing. He says, “There, but for the grace of God, go I.”55 Restoration requires love, and “love never fails.” Love can be trusted to restore people where legalism always fails.

Love can also be trusted when it comes to the unsaved and the newly saved. The following true story is a good illustration of this. A girl started to attend a local church. Within a few months, she got saved. But there is more. It turned out that the girl was a lesbian, although no one at the church knew it. After getting saved, the girl’s desires changed and she started to like men. Love did not fail, either to save her or to change her. This is what Pastor Stevens meant when he said, “God’s love also never demands a change; instead, it produces one.”56 One brother reported a similar situation that happened when soul-winning. He had approached a homo-

54 Relationships : From Ideal to Crisis to Maturity – Pastor Thomas Schaller – Biblical Psychology, Fall 2005 (Maryland Bible College And Seminary) 55 This statement is generally attributed to John Bradford, an English believer who was burned at the stake for his faith in 1555 56 Just Let God Love You – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 77

Biblical Psychology sexual and told him that Jesus loved him. The homosexual was startled. No Christian had ever told him that. All he knew about evangelical Christians was that they kept telling him that homosexuality was sin and that he needed to get right with God. The end of this story is not known. Maybe the man got saved. Maybe he repented of his sinful lifestyle. Or, maybe all of this will happen to him some time in the future. None of this is known. But God’s agape love can be trusted. This is what faith is. It is having confidence in God’s agape love, because “Love never fails.”

… but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13 – NKJV)

On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40)

A great deal is said about Christian values and Christian convictions. These are important. Christians should have strong convictions concerning alcohol, extramarital sex, homosexuality, abortion, etc. And issues such as church attendance and soul-winning should be settled. These are things that a Christian should do without having to think about it. But the greatest of these must be agape love. Jesus made two great statements concerning this subject. He said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind” (Matthew 22:37) and “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Matthew 22:39). Everything else, “the law and the prophets,” hang on these two commandments. Paul also wrote, “Love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10). Love, then, is the greatest commandment. If the believer does not obey this commandment, then he cannot obey any of the others. If he does not have a conviction to love, then none of his other convictions really matter.

The Law is the embodiment of God’s character. But “God is love” (1 John 4:16), so the Law must also be embodiment of love. Love was the new commandment that Jesus gave to His disciples, because He knew that it is love that drew people to Him (John 13:34-35). When the Law is viewed from a perspective of agape love, it comes across in a whole new way.

Love comes with a cost. If a brother or a sister comes to us with a need, it is very easy to say, “God will provide,” or “Let me pray for you.” Certainly, God does provide for people. And God’s people are told to pray. But they are also told to give. It is one thing to tell a needy person to live by faith. But it is an even greater thing to be an example of living by faith and to give to that needy person. This is why James said, “If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?” (James 2:15-16). This is the true meaning of love. It has a cost. Agape love always comes with a cost.

Love says that abortion is wrong because it loves the baby. But what happens after the baby is born? Do we still love the baby? What if the mother cannot afford food and clothing for the baby? Are we prepared to help out? Once again, agape love comes with a cost. But if we love the baby, we will help the mother out after he is born. After all, it’s the same baby. This illustration should not be seen as an excuse to ignore responsibility and accountability. Nor should it be seen as an excuse for sentimentality. But compassion is important. Randy Al- corn said, “Compassion for the mother is extremely important, but is never served through destroying the innocent.”57 Having compassion for the mother goes hand-in-hand with loving the baby. Women in abusive relationships and victims of rape and incest need our compassion, even though we would still want them to go through with their pregnancies. This is where love steps in. Love stands by the mother, helping and comforting her through the pregnancy. Love takes a collection to cover medical bills. And love makes a commitment to provide food and clothing for the baby.

When God’s people are thinking in terms of agape love, they are paying attention to the “weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith” (Matthew 23:23 – NKJV). They understand the basis of the Biblical

57 Pro Life Answers to Pro Choice Arguments – Randy Alcorn 78

Biblical Psychology mandates against sin. If the basis is simply the law, then there is a problem. The Law was written on tablets of stone (Ezekiel 36:26). It is cold and heartless. It is lifeless and inflexible. It is this law that condemned a man to be stoned to death for collecting firewood on the Sabbath (Numbers 15:32-36). This is what the Pharisees believed in. But if the basis is love, then we have a different story. The law of love is written on fleshy hearts (Ezekiel 36:26) and is brought forth by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). It is warm and caring. It is living and flexible. It is this love that permitted Jesus Christ to pluck corn on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8). This is what Jesus taught. This is why agape love is the greatest. And this is why agape love must be the foundation of all thinking.

A New Way of Thinking

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth (John 17:17)

Why did God give man the Bible? Why did He choose to communicate the truth through words? Why did He not choose to use some other means of communication? Erich Sauer said, “Everything spiritual, if it is to attain to clear unfolding of a real thought or idea, reveals itself in words” and “The word may be regarded as the body of the thought, giving the spirit visibility and form.”58 Words clothe ideas. They give substance. Jesus talked a great deal about words, especially His own and those of His Father. Words can be known and understood (Proverbs 1:23). Words can be forceful and convincing (Job 6:25). Words are food (Jeremiah 15:16) and a good form of exercise for the mind (Philippians 4).

Words are a form of thinking. They exercise the mind. As a person reads a text, he makes connections in his brain. These connections grow as he reads more complex texts. God has given man the Bible and He expects man to read it. He wants man to exercise his mind in the Word. Paul said to Timothy, “Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7). God will give man understanding, but He expects him to use his mind. He doesn’t just serve it up on a plate. He expects man to seek and search for the hidden treasure (Proverbs 2:4). He expects believers to be men of meat, not men of milk (1 Corinthians 3:2; Hebrews 5:12). This is why all of the great men of God throughout the ages have been men of the Book.

Words are objective and precise (Hebrews 4:12). While men can be deceived concerning what they read, the objectivity of God’s Word cannot be denied. This is why God used words to communicate truth.

Words are important in arguments and discussions. When Paul went into the synagogue and “reasoned with them out of the scriptures” (Acts 17:2), he used words. The Greek word translated as “reasoned” literally means “through words.” He did not use his personality, his will-power, his stature, his intellect, or anything that the natural man might use. He simply used words.

Words are the source of life. Simon Peter said to Jesus, “thou hast the words of eternal life” (John 6:68). An- drew Murray said, “His words are Spirit and Life; they are not meant for the understanding, but for the Life.”59 God’s words have an amazingly beneficial effect on the believer’s soul. Spiritual healing and sustenance comes from reading God’s words and meditating upon them.

I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them (Hebrews 10:16)

Pastor Stevens used the phrase, “doctrine in the soul.”60 However, he always used it in conjunction with the Holy Spirit. Having doctrine in the soul has nothing to do with knowing and applying doctrine. Instead, it refers to the structure of the believer’s soul changing so that doctrine actually becomes part of his very being. In

58 From Eternity To Eternity – Erich Sauer – Chapter 17, Inspiration – Logical In View Of The Use Of Human Words 59 The Spirit Of Christ – Andrew Murray – Chapter 4, The Spirit and the Word 60 The Morning Star Order & Who Is On The Lord’s Side – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 79

Biblical Psychology effect, the Bible can be seen as a book which rewires man’s brain and corrects his thinking. This can only be achieved through the Holy Spirit. Man is reprogrammed to think with God as the Word literally becomes part of his soul (James 1:21). Not only do God’s thoughts become man’s thoughts, but also God’s way of thinking become man’s way of thinking. The old is replaced by the new (2 Corinthians 4:16) and the believer’s mind is renewed (Romans 12:2).

The old mind and the renewed mind respond differently to situations. The renewed mind responds with the mind of Christ. One place where this principle is exemplified is in the story of the Samaritan woman at the well. She had a question for Jesus (John 4:20). She wanted to know the right place to worship God. Was is it on the mountain, or was it in Jerusalem? The rivalry between the Jews and the Samaritans was deep, to the point where the Samaritans despised Jerusalem. The right place to worship was Jerusalem, but the Samaritans had twisted the Biblical and historical accounts to suggest that it was Mount Gerizim. This tradition had been passed down through the generations, as tradition became more important than truth. Jesus could have answered the question by simply telling the woman to worship in Jerusalem. He took the conversation to a higher level, saying that “true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). Jerusalem was the right place to worship, but that would not have helped her. Her problem had nothing to do with the geo- graphical location of worship. The real problem was the heart behind the worship. Jesus saw the real need behind the question and answered the question that she really needed answered.

Jesus was asked many such questions. What should we do with this adulterous woman – stone her or release her (John 8:5)? Who sinned – this man or his parents (John 9:2)? In all of these cases, Jesus had an answer which transcended the limited scope of the original question. This is what the renewed mind does. It is not limited to the letter of the Law. It is not restricted by the limitations of black letters on white paper and to the cold inflexibility of stone tablets. It is alive. Not only does it know the doctrines of the Bible. But it also knows, and is constrained by, the mind and the heart behind the Bible.

And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other (1 Kings 3:25)

Solomon was the wisest man alive (1 Kings 3:12). The story of the two prostitutes and the baby (1 Kings 3:16- 28) is a perfect example of this wisdom. Each woman had a baby, but one accidentally killed her baby by sleeping on him. So she claimed that the other woman’s baby was her own. The case came before King Solo- mon, who had to make a decision. The evidence available to him was not sufficient to be able to come to a decision as to the identity of the real mother. His decision, therefore, was to order that the baby be cut in half and shared between the two women. This was a strange decision, but Solomon knew what he was doing. The false mother said, “Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it,” but the true mother said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it” (1 Kings 3:26). Solomon knew that the real mother would rather give her baby away than allow him to be killed. This is how he determined the identity of the real mother.

But how did Solomon come to such a decision? Did he read it in the Bible? Was there some portion of Scrip- ture that told him what he should do in such situations? Solomon was wise, but what does that really mean? In this case, it means that he understood love. The real mother “yearned with compassion” (1 Kings 3:26 – NKJV). This is important when it comes to the realm of wisdom. Many times people talking about wanting to know God’s mind, God’s thoughts, and God’s will. What about God’s heart? If we want to know God, we need to know everything about Him. If we are going to read His Word, we need to be able to read it with His heart. And if we are going to counsel people, we need to be able to counsel with God’s heart. Solomon knew God, so he knew God’s heart. This is the true nature of wisdom.

Preaching and teaching that is void of God’s heart leads to legalism. It turns God into a divine kill-joy. It gives people the impression that He doesn’t care and that He just doesn’t want His people to have fun or to enjoy themselves. But nothing could be further from the truth. God loves us and this love comes out through His Biblical teachings. Every mandate and prohibition in the Bible can be traced back to His heart of love. The

Biblical Psychology

Bible prohibits adultery, fornication, and homosexuality – because God is love. The Bible prohibits drugs and alcohol abuse – because God is love. The Bible prohibits theft and murder – because God is love. The Bible mandates church attendance – because God is love. The Bible mandates worship – because God is love. And finally, the Bible mandates salvation by grace through faith – because God is love. God demands purity and perfection – because He is holy. But He made a way for man to be made holy through the death of His Son on the Cross – because He is love. Understanding God’s love shifts the believer from the “what” to the “why.” Not only does he know what God demands and what God forbids. But he also starts to understand the reason behind these rules. As this happens, he starts to love God’s laws because he realizes that they are for his own good. The love of God increases in him.

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 8 The Emotions

Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it (1 Kings 3:26)

There are no words for emotions in Hebrew and Greek. Therefore, several metonyms, or figures of speech, were used. These metonyms include bowels, reins, kidney, and womb. Sometimes these words are translated literally, while at other times they are translated “compassion” and “mercy.”61

There are three Hebrew and one Greek word that refer to the emotions. The first of these is the Hebrew word kilyah. This is generally translated as one of two English words, depending on the application. It is translated as “kidneys” when it is referring to real kidneys, as in the sacrifices (Exodus 29:13). The kidneys were an important part of the sacrifice. They were to be given to God, along with the fat. This tells us that God is very interested in man’s emotions and that they should be dedicated to Him. Kilyah is also translated as “reins” when it is referring to the emotions. Jeremiah said, “thou art near in their mouth, and far from their reins” (Jer- emiah 12:2), confirming the importance of both the kidneys and the emotions. Some translations also use the words “mind” and “heart,” but there is no basis for this in the original Hebrew.62 The reins appear to be the most basic part of man’s emotions. Job spoke about his reins being consumed (Job 19:27). Asaph’s reins were torn apart by the prosperity of the ungodly (Psalm 73:21). And Jeremiah’s reins were pierced by his afflictions (Lamentations 3:13). But truth can also cause the reins to rejoice (Proverbs 23:16). Kilyah can be thought of as the most self-centered of the words for emotions. This is why God commands that they be given over to Him.

The second of these is the Hebrew word meeh. This is most commonly translated as the English word “bowels,” although the word “abdomen” would also be a good choice. The bowels of a man move in response to that which is happening around him. They resonate in sympathy to these things. The bowels of the Shulamite woman were moved, or stirred up, by the initiations of her lover (Song of Solomon 5:4). The emotions of a believer resonate to the initiations of Jesus Christ. And a Godly woman’s emotions respond in a similar manner to the Godly initiations of her husband. But not all such movement is necessarily good. Isaiah’s bowels did “sound like an harp for Moab” (Isaiah 16:11). Keil and Delitzsch said of this verse, “Just as the hand or plec- trum touches the strings of the harp, so that they vibrate with sound; so did the terrible things that he had heard Jehovah say concerning Moab touch the strings of his inward parts, and cause them to resound with notes of pain.”63 Isaiah identified and shared in the pain of Moab. He had anguish, empathy, and compassion. Although meeh is used in several different parts of the Bible, its use in connection with the emotions is almost exclusive- ly connected to the prophets. These were men who wrote with such intense compassion concerning the judgment that was to come upon Israel and the nations surrounding her. For example, Jeremiah had a deep sense of compassion for Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:20) and for the people of Jerusalem (Lamentations 2:11).

The third of these is the Hebrew word racham. This is most commonly translated as the English words “pity,” “mercy,” and “compassion.” It is also translated as “bowels,” although this is a somewhat weak translation. The most literal translation is “womb.” This is a beautiful picture of a mother’s compassion for her children. This is the compassion that the real mother showed for her child when Solomon decided that a baby should be cut in two in order to settle a dispute regarding the identity of the true mother (1 Kings 3:26). It is also the same compassion that Joseph had toward his brothers in Egypt, even after they had sold him into slavery

61 This refers specifically to the King James Version of the Bible. Other translations might use different words 62 The most common Hebrew word translated as “heart” is leb. This refers to the heart as covered in chapter 3 and has nothing to do with the emotions 63 Commentary on the Old Testament – Keil & Delitzsch – Volume 7, Isaiah 83

Biblical Psychology

(Genesis 43:30). It is a very deep form of compassion that is rooted in true love and based upon strong bonds. God’s compassion is great (Psalm 119:156). It is greater than that of man (2 Samuel 24:14). Racham is used a great deal in the Psalms, where it is often translated as “lovingkindness” and “tender mercies.” This why reading the Psalms is good for the emotions. God’s lovingkindness is eternal (Psalm 25:6) and abundant (Psalm 69:16). His tender mercies are an integral part of His law (Psalm 119:77), His judgments (Psalm 119:156), and His works (Psalm 145:9). Racham is the most selfless of the words for emotions. This is why it is used of God’s compassion towards man.

The fourth of these is the Greek word splagchnon. This is most commonly translated in the New Testament as the English word “bowels,” although it is also translated as “tender” and “affection.” In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it is used as a translation of the Hebrew word racham. The New Testament uses splagchnon to further unveil God’s deep compassion. The Bible commands the believer to have compassion (Colossians 3:12). This is a sign that he has God’s love dwelling inside of him (1 John 3:17), while the lack of compassion will cause problems in a believer’s life (2 Corinthians 6:12). He may try to blame his church and the leadership, but a lack of love and compassion is at the root of his problems. The good news is the believer does not have to rely upon himself for compassion. He can lean on Christ’s compassion, as Paul did for the church at Philippi (Philippians 1:8). Not only does the believer have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), he can also have the emotions of Christ.

The emotions cannot think; that is the function of the mind. But the emotions have three functions. These are responding, appreciating, and indicating.64 All of these functions have nuances that are dependent upon the spiritual state of a person and upon his thinking.

Functions of the Emotions

For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy (Luke 1:44)

And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him (Luke 15:28)

The emotions respond. But what do they respond to? This is an important question because nothing originates in the emotions. The emotions respond to the events and circumstances of a person’s life. They respond to the loss of a loved one, financial and health problems, rejection, lies, unkind words, physical injuries, etc. They also respond to the senses, mainly what they see and what they hear. If a man looks at pornography, his emotions will respond in a lustful fashion. This is why Job made a covenant with his eyes (Job 31:1). Being witness to a traumatic event, such as an accident or a murder, can cause trauma in the emotions. Listening to gossip and lies can make a person’s emotions respond negatively to the person being lied about.

The biggest influence on the emotions is the mind. If the mind feeds them truth, then they will respond to that truth. But if the mind feeds them lies, then they will respond to those lies. Emotions do not have the ability to analyze what they receive. Nor do they have the capacity to discern between what is of God and what is not. Discernment is performed by the mind. This is why man’s thinking is so important to the health of his emotions and to the rest of his soul.

When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth to tell her that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus, the baby in Elizabeth’s womb leapt for joy. This baby was John the Baptist and he was responding to the good news. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41), and John was responding to the presence and the initiation of the Holy Spirit in his mother.

64 Greater Grace Glossary – Niels P. de Jong – Emotions 84

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The elder brother, on the other hand, did not respond positively to the good news concerning the return of the “Prodigal Son.” He was angry and would not attend the party that his father had arranged to celebrate the return. Instead, he stayed outside and had a pity party all on his own. The elder brother’s negative response to the good news can be traced back to negative thinking. He did not think of his brother as a brother, but as a man who had wasted his father’s inheritance with harlots (Luke 15:30). But his father thought of him as a son, which is why he said, “It was right that we should make merry and be glad” (Luke 15:32 – NKJV). Two men witnessed the same event, yet they responded differently. The elder brother responded negatively because of wrong thinking, but the father responded positively because of right thinking.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth (3 John 4)

The emotions appreciate. Joy is an emotion. It is a beautiful and positive emotion. There should be joy in a believer when he hears of a brother or sister who is walking with the Lord. He should be happy when a marriage gets reconciled, or when a brother or sister experiences a great victory in Christ. It should be more than simply saying, “Well done.” There should be joy, just as there is great joy in heaven when a sinner repents and gets saved (Luke 15:7).

While love is a decision, there should also be joy in love. A marriage with no joy is not much of a marriage. Even in times of hardship, a husband and wife can find joy. And they should appreciate each other, though not in the way that the world defines appreciation. Appreciation in the world is based upon physical appearance, personality, intelligence, financial status, etc.

Appreciation in the emotions can be compared to the enjoyment of a healthy meal. A meal might be well- balanced and nutritious, but it should also be enjoyed. The emotions should enjoy the truth in the same way that the taste-buds enjoy food. Jeremiah ate God’s Word (Jeremiah 15:16), and it was a great source of joy. Jeremiah’s emotions appreciated God’s Word.

God gave man emotions so that he could enjoy and appreciate God. Praise and worship is closely tied to the emotions. While these should be governed by Biblical truth, they are still emotional responses that bring joy to the believer. The Psalms are filled with the joy of believers who appreciate God. At God’s right hand, there are “fulness of joy” and “pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). The saints and the righteous are to shout for joy (Psalm 32:11; Psalm 132:16). Approaching the altar of God should be done with “exceeding joy” (Psalm 43:4). This is an appreciation of the Finished Work.

Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart (Psalm 26:2)

But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (1 John 3:17)

The emotions indicate. The emotions should never be the source of decision making. They cannot be trusted. For example, listening to the emotions and “falling in love” should never be the basis of a marriage decision. However, this does not mean that the emotions do not have a part to play. They actually have an important role in that they are a good indication that something is wrong. A lack of compassion is indication that a believer is not walking in God’s love. Erratic emotions can often be a sign of poor thinking. And worry and anxiety can be a sign that a believer is not fellowshipping with God’s promises.

David asked God to try his reins, or his emotions, and his heart. Emotional problems can often be a good indication of heart problems. Thoughts, words, and behavior can often be modified to hide a heart problem. But the emotions will still react. When individuals, families, and ministries go through trials, they often put on a brave face or “make a good appearance in the flesh” (Galatians 6:12 – YLT). But if they are not sincere, humble, and broken, their emotions will eventually reveal what is really going on. Their emotions might even take

Biblical Psychology them out of the race. David wanted God to deal with him in this area. He wanted to know that his emotions would be stable in times of trouble. He also said, “My reins also instruct me in the night seasons” (Psalm 16:7). Some translations use the words “heart” and “mind” instead of “reins,” but the Hebrew supports the reference to the reins and the emotions. The night seasons are those dark times in a believer’s life when he is going through severe trials. Stable emotions help a believer through those times.

All of this does not mean that the emotions are in charge or in control. It simply means that the believer should want his emotions to line up with truth. A husband may make a decision to follow God in every area of his life. Even if his wife chooses not to go along with him, he has still made a decision and he is still going to follow God. But it would be much better for him (and for her) if she would go along with him. In a similar way, a believer may choose to follow God, even if his emotions do not want to. But if his emotions are in agreement with his decision, then his decision will be a lot more fulfilling. Just as a wife can derail the decisions of her husband, so too can unhealthy emotions have a negative impact on a believer’s walk with God. The believer’s emotions, therefore, can be a good indication as to how well he will perform in the trials that will inevitably come with any such decision.

Three Kinds of Emotions

Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? (Psalm 2:1)

And Nabal answered David's servants, and said, Who is David? and who is the son of Jesse? there be many servants now a days that break away every man from his master (1 Samuel 25:10)

Natural emotions are uncontrolled. Unbelievers are easily upset. They “imagine a vain thing,” thinking that it will fill the huge void in their lives. They don’t have God, so they fill their lives with money, power, sex, drugs, alcohol, popularity, good works, intellect, religion, and sports. But these things are vain, just as Solo- mon discovered (Ecclesiastes 12:8). The lives of unbelievers have no lasting foundation, so they build their own. They make up their own versions of the truth, and imagine that these things are the truth. But their vain dreams are easily shattered. This is why the “heathen rage.”

The evolutionist gets angry when he is told about creation. The atheist gets angry when he is told that there is a God and that there is a hell. The religious person gets angry when he is told that there is only one way to heaven. The immoral person gets angry when he is told that there is an absolute moral standard. The self-righteous person gets angry when he is told that his is a sinner. And the good person gets angry when he is told that his good works are not enough. These are just a few examples. But ultimately, the unbeliever is angry with God. This is why many people react so vocally and so violently to the Gospel. The Gospel of grace challenges the worldviews that they have worked so hard to create. The truth exposes their lies. Reality makes a mockery of their vain imaginations.

Nabal is a classic example of an unbeliever with natural emotions. David and his men had protected Nabal’s flocks from the thieves that would often appear around shearing time. Nabal had not asked David to perform this service, but David believed that it was reasonable for Nabal to spare a few of his sheep to feed his man. As Warren Wiersbe said, “David’s expectation was logical. Any man with 3,000 sheep and 1,000 goats could easily spare a few animals to feed 600 men who had risked their own lives to guard part of his wealth. Common courtesy would certainly dictate that Nabal invite David and his men to share his food at a festive season when hospitality was the order of the day.”65 But Nabal was a fool, and his emotions bore witness to this. His reaction to David’s request was not to simply say, “No.” Instead, he got angry and indignant. He allowed his emotions to take control of the situation.

65 The Bible Exposition Commentary – Warren Wiersbe – The Old Testament / History, 1 Samuel 86

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Another Biblical example of natural emotions is the story of Tamar and Amnon (2 Samuel 13:1-39). Tamar and Amnon were half-sister and half-brother. Their father was King David. Amnon was in love with his half- sister Tamar, at least he thought that he was. He tricked her into coming to his room with some food for him. When she arrived, he forced her to have sex with him. But the truth about Amnon’s feelings towards Tamar was revealed by what happened afterwards. The Bible says, “Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone” (2 Samuel 13:15). Amnon did not love Tamar, but was motivated by lust. This is how the world thinks when it comes to love in relationships.

And Saul was very wroth, and the saying displeased him; and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have more but the kingdom? (1 Sam- uel 18:8)

And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept (1 Samuel 24:16)

Then Saul arose, and went down to the wilderness of Ziph, having three thousand chosen men of Israel with him, to seek David in the wilderness of Ziph (1 Samuel 26:2)

Carnal emotions are unstable and vacillating. Saul was a believer, but he was also carnal. This carnality is evident in his relationship with David. One moment, Saul was weeping over David; the next moment, he was trying to kill him. His emotional state was very much dependent upon his circumstances. He was angered when the people talked about David’s great military successes. But later, his anger swayed when David spared his life. This is the big problem with emotional people. They respond and react to situations in a manner that is not consistent with truth.

Carnal emotions are result of self-centeredness. Many believers choose to live in wounded emotions, claiming that they have a right to feel hurt because of something that has happened to them. Their wounded emotions become a false covering for their lives. Every part of their lives is then controlled by these emotions. After the Crucifixion, Simon Peter said, “I go a fishing” (John 21:3). Peter had been hurt. He had denied Christ three times. And his Lord had been crucified. His answer to his problems was to run away. What makes this story is worse is that he took his friends with him.

Peter’s emotions experienced displacement or sublimation.66 He redirected his emotional impulses to something more acceptable. The world looks upon sublimation as something useful and constructive. It is certainly true that Peter could have made many worse decisions. He could have chosen to get drunk or to go on a killing spree. But the truth is that the root problem had still not been dealt with. Sublimation can take many forms, such as denial, the “blame-game,” and engaging in temporal distractions. After his offering was rejected, Cain killed his brother (Genesis 4:8) and built a city (Genesis 4:17). The work of building a city became a distraction for him. The danger for the believer is that distractions can include the work of the ministry.

Peter also suffered from sentimentality, especially with respect to Jesus. Peter told Jesus that He could not go to the Cross (Matthew 16:22). And after Jesus rebuked him, he still proceeded to defend Him when the temple guards came to arrest Him. He cut of the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant (John 18:10). Sentimentality is a false love. It pretends to care for people, without ever addressing the issue. Sometimes, hardships are necessary. Often they are the only way in which a backslidden believer will ever repent and get right with God. Paul had no problem delivering Hymenaeus and Alexander “unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:20). Paul was not sentimental. The Greek word translated as “learn” was also used by Paul when

66 Webster’s dictionary defines “sublimation” as follows : to divert the expression of (an instinctual desire or impulse) from its unac- ceptable form to one that is considered more socially or culturally acceptable 87

Biblical Psychology he said, “the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12). To Paul, handing Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan was an act of grace. But the sentimental believer is unable to accept this.

David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself (1 Samuel 24:8)

Spiritual emotions are controlled and consistent. David has great love and compassion for Saul, even when Saul was trying to kill him. David’s emotions were not subject to his circumstances. After his sin with Bath- sheba and the death of Uriah the Hittite, David’s emotions were wounded. His sin became a heavy burden for him (Psalm 38:4-5), but he was still able to be rebuked by Nathan (2 Samuel 12:7), to repent of his sin, and to be delivered. This is the mark of a spiritual man with healthy emotions. In the midst of problems and trials, the spiritual man’s emotions still respond with peace and joy. James commands the believer to “count it all joy” when he falls into trials and temptations (James 1:2). Paul confirmed the possibility of living this way when he said, “I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions” (2 Corinthians 12:10). For Paul, God’s grace was sufficient. The Greek words for “joy” and “grace” are related. Joy is rooted in grace. The spiritual man always experiences joy because he is living by grace.

In the spiritual man, there is a shift from low quality emotions to high quality emotions. Fear (2 Timothy 1:7) is replaced by peace (Isaiah 32:17). The key is love. The three consequences of the Fall were fear, guilt, and shame. Fear is the first result of the Fall. It is an emotion. But the love of God dispels that fear (1 John 4:18). The love of God gives man a real sense of security and reverses the effects of the Fall. This is why the commandment to “fear not” appears 366 times in the Bible, one for every day of the year. This is why the believer can experience joy every day.

One fruit of the spirit is having healthy emotions (Galatians 5:22-23). These include joy, peace, patience, and self-control. Righteous indignation can also be a fruit of the spirit. Jesus made a “whip of cords” (John 2:15 – NKJV) with which to drive the money changers out of the temple. He had righteous indignation. His emotions did not control Him. An emotionally driven person would have reacted without thinking. But Jesus took the time to make a whip. God has righteous anger, and so should Spirit-filled believers. Just like God, they should love righteousness but hate wickedness (Psalm 45:7; Hebrews 1:9). Just like God, they should be “angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11). And just like God, they should hate “workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:5). Godly anger is a good thing. But anger against God’s people should be short-lived (Psalm 80:4).

Because wounded emotions are self-centered, they block a person’s compassion. This does not mean that all emotional responses to traumatic events are necessarily sin. The real issue is whether or not they block the believer’s compassion. The following table, from Dr. Larry Crabb67, draws a very useful and practical comparison between negative emotions, which block compassion, and their non-sinful counterparts :

Negative / sinful emotions that block Non-sinful counterpart with Scripture compassion reference

Depression Anguish Self-preoccupation, self-pity, giving up, Deep hurt over difficult circumstances, no concern for others; therefore no action emotional pain over loss, soul-searching on behalf of others agony as problems mount. (Luke 22:44)

67 Effective Biblical Counseling – Dr. Larry Crabb – Chapter 5, Personality Structure: Taking Apart the Watch to See What Makes It Tick 88

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Crippling guilt Constructive Sorrow Feelings of worthlessness and self- In their excellent book "Guilt and Free- punishment which do not lead to positive dom," Bruce Narramore and Bill Counts steps to correct the problem. Such feel- describe an attitude of contrition and ings often serve as an excuse from work- sorrow over misdeeds which leads to ing responsibly on problem areas. changed behavior. (2 Corinthians 7:8-10) Resentment Anger Holding a grudge, letting many suns go Reaction to moral wrong which asserts down upon your wrath, behavior moti- holiness of God and rebukes sin with eye vated by vengeance. toward vindicating God’s holiness and restoring the offender to right behavior. (Matthew 21:12-13) Frustration Motivated Discontent A throwing up of the hands – attitude, Concern with difficult circumstances that what’s the use of trying, frantic effort to leads to either a plan to change them or if change, smoldering anger at unchanging that proves impossible an attitude of ac- problems. cepting something unpleasant knowing God can work in every situation. (Philippians 1:12) Anxiety Concern Apprehension about anticipated unpleas- Anticipation of possible future event ant event either specific or vague which which does not cause disobedience to is so strong that it controls behavior; e.g. God, but rather provokes intelligent fore- preoccupying worry over how someone thought. will respond to me. (Proverbs 6:6-11)

Four Types of Love

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves (Proverbs 7:18)

There are four Greek words for love, the most precious of which is agape or God’s unconditional love. Agape love is not considered to be an emotion. It comes from the believer’s heart, having been placed there by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5), and permeates his soul. The other three words, however, are considered to be emotions. The first of these other words is eros, from which we get the word “erotic.” Eros refers to sexual intimacy and sensuality, but it can also refer to other forms of closeness and romance. It does not appear in the New Testament. However, it does appear in the Greek translation of the Old Testament (Proverbs 7:18).

Sexual intercourse should never be seen as something dirty. It is a gift from God (Genesis 1:22; Genesis 1:28) that the world has chosen to defile. One of the reasons that God created marriage was so that a husband and wife could enjoy each other. Sex is a gift from God. But it is a gift that was intended to be restricted to marriage. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4). While sex within the context of a spiritual and loving marriage is a gift from God, sex outside of marriage is sin.

He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me (Matthew 10:37)

The second of these words is phileo. Phileo refers to friendship or brotherly love. The church at Philadelphia (Revelation 1:11) is also known as the church of “Brotherly Love.” The use of this term brotherly love really refers to having a relationship with a person because you like that person. It is not really to be used in the context of the direct family. Phileo is a love that can often be used in a manipulative fashion, where people are friends with other people because it serves their needs. Pilate and Herod would have been friends because it 89

Biblical Psychology served their mutual needs. The contrast between agape and phileo can be seen in the sea-side conversation between Jesus and Peter after the resurrection (John 21:15-17) :

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agape) Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.”

He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (agape) Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.”

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love (phileo) Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love (phileo) Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (phileo) You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.”

Jesus thinks in terms of agape love, but all Peter had was phileo love. All Peter had was a friendship with Je- sus. He was not willing to lay his life down for Him, but that would change. The use of phileo in the last verse is not a mistake. Jesus switched His question from agape to phileo, which is why Peter was so upset.

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; (Romans 12:10)

The third of these words is storgeo. Storgeo refers to affection, as a mother has for her child. It does not actually appear in the Bible. However, the compound word philostorgos is used above. Storgeo can lead to sentimentality due to the nature of the parent / child relationship.

Sentimentality is an enemy of discipleship. Jesus said, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). He was saying that a sentimental person could not be His disciple. Many Old Testament saints took this seriously. Moses was not sentimental when he dealt with Korah and his family after his rebellion (Numbers 16:25-32), even though they were both from the tribe of Levi (Exodus 2:1 & Number 16:1). Nor was he sentimental when he dealt with the aftermath of the Golden Calf, when he said, “Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour” (Exodus 32:27).

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us (Romans 5:5)

The fourth of these words is agape. Agape refers to God’s unconditional love. This love should be the force and the motivation behind the other loves. God’s agape love enters man’s heart, from where it permeates man’s soul and affects the other three loves. It is through the mind and the emotions that the new heart ex- presses God’s love.

Biblical Psychology

Love can be thought of as a violin with three strings. The tree strings represent eros, storgeo, and phileo, while the bow represents agape. Without the bow, the strings cannot accomplish their purpose. Similarly, without agape love, the other three kinds of love cannot function properly. The first three loves are connected with legitimate needs that man has. Eros is connected to man’s need for intimacy. Phileo is connected to man’s need for friendship. And Storgeo is connected to man’s need to have his needs taken care of. But these needs can only be satisfied through agape love.

Love from the old heart is different to love from the new heart, because of the presence of agape love. The problem with the old heart is that its motivation for love can change as circumstances change. This kind of love is self-serving and feeds on the person being loved. But the new heart is always motivated to love because of God’s agape love. And because it feeds on the Lamb, it is always satisfied and always has something to give.

Agape love must always be the foundation of marriage. However, this principle should not be restricted to marriage. It can and should apply to all relationships :

In the world, there is no agape love. Therefore, there is no foundation for relationships. Men initiate to women based mostly on physical attraction. As they get to know each other, they might become friends. But it will never go any deeper. In the Church, however, things are different. The foundation of agape love is based upon the fact that all believers are children of God. This should be a sobering thought when a young man is considering initiating to a young lady. He should always remember that she is one of God’s children. The next layer of storgeo love is based upon the fact that God’s children all make up one big family. The person you sit next to in Church is you brother or your sister. He or she is your sibling. This is why Paul talks about taking a believing sister as a wife (1 Corinthians 9:5). The next layer of phileo love is based upon many factors. Some, such as personality rapport,68 are not valid friendships. But God does create friendships based upon fellowship and ministry. Pastor Schaller once wrote, “Spirituality, not personality rapport or common interest, is what should govern our friendships. Meeting at the bowling alley, going fishing, talking about computer programs are things that we may like to do. Any field of knowledge can establish some form of connection between

68 The term “Personality Rapport” was coined by Pastor Carl Stevens. It refers to relationships based upon common interests rather that spirituality 91

Biblical Psychology people. But one of the phenomena of spirituality is that we can be very diverse and yet have a common source of life running through us. That source of life is the river of God.”69 The “river of God,” of course, includes agape love. The final layer of eros love is based upon a decision to have a life-long relationship with a believer of the opposite gender. Because these relationships are based on agape love, this love permeates and influ- ences the other loves.

The Mind, Truth, and Emotions

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things (Philippians 4:8)

God gave man emotions for a purpose. This is why it is incorrect to criticize or attack the emotions. It is also incorrect to say that there is a war between the mind and the emotions. More often than not, problems in the emotions are caused by problems in the mind. Incorrect thinking leads to unhealthy emotions. The emotions are, in effect, victims of an unhealthy mind. The emotions are actually an important part of the spiritual life. They are essential for the enjoyment and appreciation of God. They can also be an indication of spiritual problems. If a believer is suffering from emotional issues, it might be an indication that there is something wrong spiritually. In such cases, it would be wrong to attack the emotions. Instead, the believer should take notice of these warnings and adjust himself accordingly.

The “wheel” of the emotions, as shown above, illustrates the importance of truth. When a wheel spins, centrif- ugal force pulls things from the center of the wheel to the outside. This force increases as an object moves towards the edge. The same is true with the emotions. There is a tendency in man to gravitate towards unhealthy emotions and worldly affections. But as meditates on spiritual truths, this tendency decreases and he starts experience healthy emotions and Godly affections.

69 Purpose To Be A Friend – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. & Pastor Thomas Schaller 92

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The believer’s authority comes from the promises contained in God’s Word, not from his feelings. He lives by faith in the trustworthiness of God Himself and of His Word. The train is a good illustration of the relationship between FACT, FAITH, and FEELING. The facts are the truths and promises contained in the Word of God, the faith is the believer placing his trust in these facts, and the feeling is the result of placing one’s faith in the facts and obeying the truth. The train will run without the caboose, but the caboose is useless without the train. In the same way, believers do not depend on feelings or emotions, but they place their faith in the trustworthiness of God and the promises of His Word.

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 9 The Conscience

For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you- ward (2 Corinthians 1:12)

The word “conscience” is uniquely New Testament. It does not appear anywhere in the Old Testament. In fact, there is no specific Hebrew word for the conscience. In the Old Testament, the operation of the conscience is conveyed through the heart. “David's heart smote him” after he had cut off the corner of Saul’s robe (1 Samuel 24:5) and after he had numbered the people (2 Samuel 24:10). David knew that what he had done was wrong and it troubled him. This use of the heart to portray the conscience is continued through to the New Testament, where the people’s hearts were “pricked” because of Peter’s preaching (Acts 2:37). It is, therefore, necessary to also study the human heart when studying the conscience.

The conscience is more fully developed in the New Testament. The Greek word for conscience is suneidesis. The literal meaning of this is to “know with” or to have “joint-knowledge.” Suneidesis is related to the Greek word oida, which means a more intuitive and a deeper kind of knowledge. The conscience is connected to a deep knowledge, rather than something external and superficial. Paul, who provided the most thorough description of the conscience, spoke extensively of the importance of this deep knowledge (1 Corinthians 8).

Man has two consciences. The first conscience is the moral conscience. This is the conscience that lives in the soul and is present in both the believer and the unbeliever. The human conscience is based upon man’s personal sense of right and wrong. It is “the place in the soul where norms and standards for right and wrong are established.”71 This conscience has no absolute standard. It varies between different people. Some people have temperaments that are very sensitive in the area of the conscience, while others have temperaments that are more criminally inclined. It is also influenced by culture, religion, education, family, training, etc. However, different religions and different cultures do have a lot in common with each other when it comes to the conscience, For example, just about every religion believes that murder and homosexuality are wrong. There is something deep inside of all men that relates to the conscience and which cannot be totally destroyed by external factors.

The second conscience is the spiritual conscience. This is the conscience that lives in the human spirit and is present (or active) only in the believer. The spiritual conscience is based upon God’s truth, which is absolute. In the believer, the emphasis shifts from discerning between good and evil to discerning between holy and un- holy. This conscience is discussed in more detail in the chapter on “The Human Spirit.”

Creation The Fall The Cross / Salvation

Innocence Guilt Perfection (Genesis 2:25) (Genesis 3:7) (Hebrews 7:19)

Knowledge Truth Good and evil Truth

Conscience Spiritual Moral Spiritual

Relationship Fellowship with God Hiding from God Coming boldly to God (Genesis 2:19) (Genesis 3:8) (Hebrews 4:16)

71 Greater Grace Glossary – Niels P. de Jong – Conscience 95

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Experience Life Death Life

Man’s conscience was never designed to be a moral conscience. Instead, he was supposed to rely upon the spiritual conscience. He was supposed to live by truth and experience life. But everything went wrong at the Fall, when man acquired a knowledge that he was never supposed to possess, the knowledge of good and evil. The human spirit died and the operation of the spiritual conscience died with it. Man was left with a moral conscience that had no spiritual guidance. He was forced to live by a moral conscience, empowered by the knowledge of good and evil, and experienced death. The Cross and the precious blood of Jesus Christ reversed all of this. The believer’s guilt is removed and the he can now experience life. He will still struggle. But as he matures, he will find himself living by the truth that comes from his spiritual conscience.

In the drawing above, the unbeliever possesses only the left side. He has a heart of stone and a moral conscience. He lives at the tree of knowledge of good and evil, and experiences nothing but death. The believer, on the other hand, has both sides. In addition to the heart of stone, he has a heart of flesh and a spiritual conscience. And he has a choice. He can choose to continue living at the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Or he can choose to live by truth and experience life. This is a choice that the believer faces every day of his life.

The conscience is an internal judge. It is the judge, the jury, and the executioner. When man fell, the judicial process was created. This process involves accusation, evidence, verdict, and sentence. The accusations come from Satan (Revelation 12:10), the evidence is irrefutable (Romans 1:21-32), the verdict is “guilty as charged” (Romans 3:19), and the sentence is death (Romans 6:23). Thankfully, Jesus Christ willingly took the punishment upon Himself that man so justly deserved. Because of this, Satan’s accusations against the believer are now invalid (Zechariah 3:2), there is no evidence (Isaiah 1:18 & Psalm 103:12), and the verdict is “not guilty” (Numbers 23:21).

The conscience has three functions. These functions are testifying, condemning, and convicting.

Functions of the Conscience

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, (Romans 9:1)

… their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another … (Romans 2:15)

The conscience testifies. The main word for testify, or bear witness, is martureo (or marturia). Martureo is the most basic form of testifying. According to the Law, the testimony of two men is sufficient (John 8:17) to convict a man. The Pharisees tried this with Jesus. They tried to find people to testify against Him, but were

Biblical Psychology unable to (Mark 14:55-56). They even tried using false witnesses (pseudomartureo), but these could not agree with each other. Not all testimony is equal. The testimony of God is greater than that of man (1 John 5:9). This is why Jesus Christ did not seek the testimony of men (John 5:34). But He did not seek testimony from Him- self either (John 5:31). Instead, He received the testimony of John the Baptist (John 1:7-8), the Apostle John (John 21:24), and the Holy Spirit (John 5:32). Finally, the testimony of a good conscience gives the believer a reason to rejoice (2 Corinthians 1:12).

Summartureo is a more spiritual type of witness. It literally means to witness with another person, specifically the Holy Spirit. It appears only four times in the New Testament, including the two verses above. The Holy Spirit and the human spirit testify that the believer is a child of God (Romans 8:16). And John testified that anyone who added to or removed from God’s Word would suffer grave consequences (Rev 22:18).

The conscience observes man’s behavior, language, attitudes, etc., and comes to a conclusion. Outside of the Holy Spirit’s constraint, however, the testimony of the conscience can be unreliable. For example, the conscience can be “seared” and can turn a blind-eye (1 Timothy 4:2). And it can also be “weak” and overly sensitive to things that are not, in themselves, sinful (1 Corinthians 8:7). Cartoon character Jiminy Cricket said, “Always let your conscience be your guide.”72 But Colin Brown more correctly said, “A clear conscience is no guarantee of being right. On the other hand, an over-sensitive conscience may lead to tormenting dilemmas.”73

But when the conscience is constrained by the Holy Spirit, the testimony can be relied upon. Paul could be confident when the Holy Spirit testified that he was not lying (Romans 9:1). The Christian can be sure of this testimony. He does not need to restrict his behavior based upon the letter of the Law. The Law is good, but hard to interpret and impossible to fulfill. The Pharisees interpreted the Law in such a manner that it could not be understood, let alone applied. But the conscience guided by the Holy Spirit is simple. The grieving of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) is a simple, yet clear, indication of a problem.

For the unbeliever, the Holy Spirit still plays a part in his conscience. Despite all of his efforts at self- righteousness, the Holy Spirit still testifies to him that he is a sinner (Romans 2:15). This is an important part of the pre-salvation work in the life of the unbeliever. The Holy Spirit constantly witnesses to man’s conscience that he needs the Savior. But it is still up to the unbeliever to receive this testimony and to accept Jesus Christ.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things (1 John 3:20)

The conscience condemns. There are four words in the New Testament translated as “condemn” or “condemnation.” However, the only one related to the conscience is kataginosko. It literally means to have knowledge against a person or against one's self. Paul possessed no such knowledge against himself when he said, “I am conscious of nothing against myself” (1 Corinthians 4:4 - NASB). He had a clear conscience, free from condemnation.

Condemnation is generally thought of as punishment. With the other three Greek words, this is certainly the case. But with kataginosko, it simply means that there is sufficient evidence. Ginosko is a knowledge that is acquired, learned, or observed. The acquisition of this knowledge comes through the testimony of the conscience and provides sufficient evidence to prove a man guilty. The believer is not free from this kind of condemnation, although he is free of the other forms of condemnation (Romans 8:1). He is free from punishment. Paul confronted Peter “because he stood condemned” (Galatians 2:11 - NASB74). Peter’s great sin was to ignore Gentile believers whenever his Jewish brothers were around.

72 Pinocchio – Walt Disney 73 New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology – Colin Brown – Volume 1, Conscience 74 The King James Version reads, “because he was to be blamed.” The word for “blamed” here is kataginosko 97

Biblical Psychology

The only answer to this kind of condemnation is to turn to God, who is “greater than our heart, and knoweth all things” (1 John 3:20). The Greek word translated as “knoweth” is ginosko. God knows all things, and His knowledge is greater than any knowledge that man might have concerning himself. The issue is “confidence toward God” (1 John 3:20). The believer has an assurance and a boldness that is greater than any knowledge that he might have against himself.

And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt (1 Samuel 24:5)

And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eld- est, even unto the last … (John 8:9)

The conscience convicts. The word for convict is elegcho. This word is also translated as “reprove,” “rebuke,” and “convince.” In the Bible, conviction always comes from the Holy Spirit. With a believer, it is his spiritual conscience that convicts him. And with the unbeliever, it is the Holy Spirit. Believers are to rebuke brothers who sin habitually (1 Timothy 5:20). Pastors are to preach messages that reprove the assembly (2 Timothy 4:2). And Jesus both rebukes and chastens His people (Revelation 3:19). Unbelievers also have their share of conviction. Herod was reproved by John the Baptist (Luke 3:19). Evil doers are reproved by the truth (John 3:20). And the world is reproved by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8).

Some of the most hardened criminals have a conscience, at least to some degree. Many will not think twice before committing murder or selling drugs. But these same criminals are often outraged when a child it mo- lested. Somewhere in their consciences, the thought of hurting an innocent child brings a deep sense of conviction.

The purpose of conviction is to bring a change in people. Conviction in the unbeliever should lead to salvation. Unfortunately, many unbelievers simply run away from such conviction, choosing to continue in their evil ways (John 3:20). Thankfully, the Holy Spirit does not give in so easily. Conviction in the believer should lead to repentance and the believer turning his back on some sinful habit. This is important, as the purpose of conviction is restoration. It is never condemnation. Once a backsliding brother is convicted and repents, the matter should be forgotten. The matter should not be held over his head as a warning or a reminder. And he should not be put on probation. This might sound strange. But it is important to remember that it is spiritual conviction that changes people, not threats and legalism.

Conviction is not related to the Law, but to something much deeper. The believer being convicted knows that he has done something wrong, even if he can find no basis in the Law to confirm this. David knew that he was wrong when he cut the corner off Saul’s robe (1 Samuel 24:4-5). He was troubled in his heart. This conviction was much deeper than the Law. Peter was convicted in a similar manner when he met Jesus (Luke 5:8).

Three Kinds of Conscience

The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortion- ers, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess (Luke 18:11-12)

In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6)

The natural conscience is based upon the Law and upon the perception of the Law. This result is four types of people – self-righteous people, self-condemning people, amoral people,75 and evil people.

75 Webster’s dictionary defines “amoral” as follows : being neither moral nor immoral, lacking moral sensibility 98

Biblical Psychology

The natural conscience can be self-righteous. It compares itself with others. This comparison, which can be either favorable or unfavorable, is also referred to as relative righteousness.76 The Pharisee thought that he was better than the tax collector. In purely human terms, he was correct. He thought he was acceptable to God because of the way in which he lived his life. This is how the natural conscience operates. It compares itself with others and then imagines that God looks at people the same way. But God doesn’t see things as we do. Many believe that their behavior is acceptable to God. They believe that being a good, moral person is enough to get them into heaven. Or they believe that attending church or giving to the poor is enough. These things are good, but they are good enough.

The natural conscience can be self-condemning. Many believe that their behavior is so bad that there is no way that God would ever accept them. There is honesty in this, but there is also a root of pride. The good person and the evil person have one thing in common. Their pride leads them to believe that man’s righteousness can be good enough for God. One may believe that he is good enough, while the other believes that he is not. But they are both operating in pride.

The natural conscience can be amoral. While the self-righteous and the self-condemning person can both believe in an absolute moral standard, the amoral person does not believe that such a standard exists. He believes that morals are a personal and relative. He does what is right in his own eyes (Proverbs 12:15; Proverbs 21:2). Some believe that morals have evolved as a means by which society can function in a harmonious fashion. The evolutionist Richard Dawkins has gone so far as suggesting the existence an “altruistic gene.”77 This is a stretch, to say the least. But such is the natural man’s desire to deny the existence of God.

If there is no God, then there can be no moral law-giver. If there is no moral-law-giver, then there can be no moral law. And if there is no moral law, then there can be no conscience. This means that the conscience is totally incompatible with evolution and atheism. Yet many atheists still struggle with the sense of conscience. And others are good and moral people, at least by human standards. As Ravi Zacharias said, “not all atheists are immoral, but morality as goodness cannot be justified with atheistic presuppositions.”78 Conscience and morality without God simply does not make sense.

Abortion is one of the most grotesque consequences of the amoral conscience. The Bible is quite clear on this subject. God told Jeremiah that He knew him before he was born (Jeremiah 1:5). The baby in his mother’s womb is not simply a fetus. He is an unborn child, made in the image and likeness of God. Abortion, therefore, is murder because it the killing of an innocent, harmless child. But many choose to ignore this truth, even though scientific evidence supports what the Bible says. They choose to live by their own set of moral standards. Many of these people are “good” in other areas of their lives, but in this area they fall woefully short.

A startling legal case illustrates this dilemma very clearly. A couple filed a “wrongful birth” suit against a doctor who failed to diagnose Downs Syndrome in their unborn child. The couple, who claim that they love the child very much, said that they would have terminated the pregnancy if they had known that girl was going to be a “special needs” child.79 This is so wrong, but it really is the logical outcome in a society and a world that has adopted evolution as a “religion.”

76 The term “Relative Righteousness” was taught by Pastor Carl Stevens. It refers to a righteousness where a person knows he is a sinner but believes that he is alright because he is not as bad as other people 77 The Selfish Gene – Richard Dawkins 78 The Real Face of Atheism – Ravi Zacharias - Chapter 3, Virtue in distress 79 ABC News / Health – March 10th, 2012 (abcnews.go.com) 99

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But there is more! An article in the “Journal of Medical Ethics” suggested that it should also be permissible to kill newborn babies.80 The article said, “Abortion is largely accepted even for reasons that do not have anything to do with the fetus’ health. By showing that (1) both fetuses and newborns do not have the same moral status as actual persons, (2) the fact that both are potential persons is morally irrelevant, and (3) adoption is not always in the best interest of actual people, the authors argue that what we call "after-birth abortion" (killing a newborn) should be permissible in all the cases where abortion is, including cases where the newborn is not disabled.” The heart of man truly is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9).

Finally, the natural conscience can be evil. It simply doesn’t care about what is right and what is wrong. Hitler and Stalin were both responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of people. They were evil. They were not uneducated or insane. In fact, they were quite cultured. But they were also evil. Ray Cotton wrote, “The murder of millions has been perpetuated by some of the most educated, cultured people in the world. While up to 12,000 people a day were being obliterated at the Auschwitz camps, the builders of those state of the art camps were enthralled by the music of Wagner. They had the best of education and of culture.”81 Drug dealers choose to sell products that bring death and misery to millions of people. And ruthless dictators kill millions in systematic genocide, without having a single concern that what they are doing is wrong.

In reading this progression from the self-righteous conscience to the evil conscience, one could easily fall into the mistake of thinking that God sees a difference between human good and evil. The truth, however, is that they are all guilty (John 9:41). Morally good people are just as guilty as morally evil people. In fact, as unbelievers, they are all evil because the unbelieving heart is also an evil heart (Hebrews 3:12). But all are still can- didates for God’s grace and mercy.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to se- ducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (1 Timothy 4:1-2)

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)

Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled (1 Corinthians 8:7)

The carnal conscience suffers from three separate problems. Firstly, the carnal conscience can be seared. This simply means that the conscience is not functioning. It ignores any moral values a person has and it ignores the initiations of the Holy Spirit. This tends to be a process of deterioration. The first time that a person does something that his contrary to his conscience, his conscience alerts him and he is troubled. But with each sub- sequent infraction, the response of the conscience is lessened until eventually the conscience simply ignores the infraction. Lascivious and licentious behavior is a huge problem in Christianity. Many have taken the doctrine of Eternal Security as a license to sin. Paul addressed this in his letter to the Corinthians when he said, “I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed” (2 Corinthians 12:21). God will not stand by and watch His children live a life of sin. First, He will chastise them (Hebrews 12:7). Then, if they do not repent, He will bring them home early (1 John 5:16). If a believer is living a sinful lifestyle and there are no consequences, then he might want to consider whether or not he is really a believer.

80After-birth abortion: why should the baby live? - Alberto Giubilini and Francesca Minerva - The Journal Of Medical Ethics - January 27th, 2012 81 The Holocaust: Ideas and Their Consequences – Ray Cotton 100

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Secondly, the carnal conscience can be legalistic. Legalism is dead works, which do not please God. A person with a legalistic conscience is legalistic not only to himself, but also to others. But frequently, he holds others to a higher standard than he holds himself. He believes that he is a good person, and he expects others to live by his standard. Legalism is another huge problem in Christianity. Grace makes legalism both unnecessary and counter-productive. Paul addressed the issue of legalism in his letter to the Churches in Galatia. He held nothing back when he said, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3). And later on, he addressed the counter-productive nature of legalism within himself when he wrote, “When I would do good, evil is present with me” (Romans 7:21).

Thirdly, the carnal conscience can be weak and defiled (Titus 1:15). This conscience should be viewed differently to the seared and the legalistic consciences. It should not be viewed as sin. And it certainly should not be condemned. But it is still a problem that needs to be addressed. Frequently, a weak and defiled conscience is a consequence of lasciviousness and legalism. Telling a believer that he can do whatever he wants to do, with no consequences, leads to defilement. And beating him up with legalism leads to weakness.

The carnal conscience manifests itself in several ways, such as denial, projection, and rationalization. Denial involves refusing to accept or to admit the truth of a wrong-doing. Peter denied knowing Christ (Luke 22:56- 60), although knowing Christ should not be seen as a wrong-doing. But Cain’s denial of any involvement in the death of his brother, Abel, should certainly be seen as a problem (Genesis 4:9). Projection involves blaming someone else. After the Fall, Adam blamed Eve (Genesis 3:12) and Eve blamed the Serpent (Genesis 3:13). Finally, rationalization involves makes excuses for one’s behavior. When Jesus told the parable of the Great Supper (Luke 14:15-24), He spoke of people making excuses for not being able to attend. Ultimately, these are consciences based upon comfort and conviction.

A carnal conscience blocks a person’s access to God and breaks fellowship. The seared conscience breaks fellowship because of the conviction of sin, the legalistic conscience breaks fellowship because of the pride, the weak and defiles conscience breaks fellowship because of unnecessary guilt. But a clean conscience re- establishes that fellowship. The believer has the right to a clean conscience because of the precious blood of Jesus Christ. He should not feel guilty about not feeling guilty! Christ’s blood purifies the believer’s conscience and gives him the confidence to boldly enter into the presence of God (Hebrews 10:19).

Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly (Hebrews 13:18)

The spiritual conscience (or the conscience of the spiritual man) is free from condemnation, while still being subject to conviction. It is pure (1 Timothy 3:9), good (1 Peter 3:16), and clean (Hebrews 9:14). Adam and Eve lived for more than 900 years with no condemnation. Despite bringing a deadly curse upon all of mankind, they were able to live with a clear conscience. Paul had no knowledge of sin concerning himself (1 Co- rinthians 4:4), despite having persecuted the early church. This is the nature of the spiritual man, he has no knowledge of his past sins.

Guilt is the second result of the Fall. The blood of Christ dealt with this, so there is no reason for the believer to feel guilty. Such is the nature of the Finished Work and the blood of Christ. This might sound paradoxical. After all, how can a person who has sinned be truly free from guilt? But once a believer comes to understand the morally bankrupt nature of his flesh and the sufficiency of God’s grace, living free from guilt becomes second-nature.

The spiritual man does not live under the Law. He is not bound to the tree of good and evil. Paul said, “All things are lawful” (1 Corinthians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:23), referring to his total freedom from the Law which he had once strived so hard to keep. Paul also said, “Unto the pure all things are pure” (Titus 1:15). The defiled and unbelieving person cannot say this. To him, everything is sin. But the pure person sees everything as pure. For example, some believers dogmatically say that dancing is wrong. While it is certainly true that the sensual

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Biblical Psychology forms of dancing that are so prevalent in the west are sinful, there are many other forms of dancing that are innocent. This is especially true of other, more traditional cultures. To the pure, these forms of dancing are pure.

This does not mean that “anything goes.” It just means that the spiritual man has a different way of thinking and a different way of discerning between right and wrong. Paul went on to state that something might be lawful, but that it might not be profitable or edifying. For this reason, he would “not be brought under the power of any” (1 Corinthians 6:12). The lascivious believer might say, “This is lawful for me, therefore I will do it.” But his behavior is neither profitable nor edifying. And this believer’s attitude means that he is still under the power of the law and sin. Paul’s attitude, however, was different. He simply did not think in terms of the Law. In this way, he freed himself from its power.

Once the spiritual man is free from the Law, he is able to be guided by his spiritual conscience. The spiritual conscience experiences spiritual conviction. The conscience of the believer can be very quiet. This can be a good thing, especially if he is living and walking in the spirit. But he can still sin. When this happens, his conscience will immediately convict him. When God’s truth is violated, the spiritual conscience can become very loud and dominate the soul. He has a conscience based upon conviction.

Knowledge, Liberty, Love, and the Weak Conscience

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth (1 Corinthians 8:1)

Paul most clearly defines the conscience in this letter to the Corinthians. The Church at Corinth was having issues. Colin Brown said, “The Corinthians were appealing to conscience to justify their attitudes in the various burning issues of the day, in particular the practice of eating meat that had been offered to idols. Because some claimed that they could do this with a clear conscience, they argued that the practice was permissible.”82

The history behind this portion is that there were two sources of meat at the time of Paul’s ministry. The main source of meat was the regular market, where regular meat was sold. The secondary source of meat was the temple, where meat that had been offered to idols was sold. This second source of meat was generally cheaper, so it was a good way of saving money. But was it lawful to eat such meat? To the strong believer with a strong conscience, eating meat that had been offered to idols was not a problem. Even Paul counted himself among those who could eat such meat with a clear conscience. But he also knew that conscience was not the only issue to be considered. He knew that love was more important.

The church members at Corinth believed that their practice of eating meat that had been offered to idols was acceptable because it was lawful. But in this passage, Paul takes them to a higher level. He tells them that their clear consciences, which were based upon their superior knowledge, allowed them to indulge in such behavior. But he then goes on to tell them that their knowledge was nothing more than pride that “puffeth up.” He then tells than that they needed to think in terms of love, which builds up.

Knowledge and love must go hand in hand. The believer must speak “the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Love without truth (or knowledge) leads to sentimentality. But truth without love leads to selfishness and insensitivi- ty. Knowledge, then, must be used in conjunction with love. It must be used to build people up, not to put them down. As Warren Wiersbe said, “Knowledge must be mixed with love; otherwise, the saints will end up with ‘big heads’ instead of enlarged hearts.”83

82 New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology – Colin Brown – Volume 1, Conscience 83 The Bible Exposition Commentary – Warren Wiersbe – The New Testament / Volume 1, 1 Corinthians 102

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As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one (1 Corinthians 8:4)

Many believers have received excellent teaching on the Finished Work. They understand the liberty that they have in Christ. The strong believers in Corinth were such believers. They knew that an idol was nothing more than a piece of wood or stone (even though there is real demonic activity behind it.) They also knew that offering meat to such idols did nothing to change that meat. It was still nothing more and nothing less than the flesh of a dead animal. This is why they could eat such meat with a clear conscience. They had superior knowledge.

David ate the “hallowed bread” that was supposed to be eaten only by the Levitical priests, even though he was from the tribe of Judah (1 Samuel 21:6). Later on, he would dance freely before the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:12). All of this was possible because he was a strong believer with a strong conscience. Paul knew that there was “nothing unclean of itself” (Romans 14:14). He had a strong conscience. But he also said, “all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not” (1 Corinthians 10:23). He knew he had liberty, but he was more interested in loving people and building them up than he was in living in that liberty.

Such believers, as was the case in Corinth, have great liberty. They can be greatly used by God. Paul commended such believers and encouraged them to attend the feasts of the unbelievers, telling them to “eat, asking no question for conscience sake” (1 Corinthians 10:27). But he also warned them not to offend the consciences of weaker believers, saying “if anyone says to you, ‘This was offered to idols,’ do not eat it for the sake of the one who told you” (1 Corinthians 10:28 – NKJV).

The believer in the 21st century has similar liberties. He can watch television, go to the movies, or listen to music. He can play sports. And he can even have a Christmas tree! These things are all lawful. But that does not mean that they are profitable or edifying (1 Corinthians 6:12; 1 Corinthians 10:23). Television, movies, and music can be a good source of relaxation. But how do they impact believers? Are they profitable? Susanna Wesley said, “Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, or takes off the relish of spiritual things; in short, whatever increases the strength and authority of your body over mind, that thing is sin to you, however innocent it may be in itself.”84 Playing sports is important. A healthy diet and a sensible exercise routine are important for a healthy body. This can help the believer in his psychological and spiritual life. But it can also become an obsession, and even an addiction. It is possible to become addicted to fitness. And finally, a Christmas tree is just a tree. It is nothing more and nothing less than a tree. But new believers, especially those from highly idolatrous cultures, might not think that way. To them it might actually be demonic.

While many believers understand the liberty that they have in Christ, others lack that liberty. They have weak consciences that are easily defiled, wounded (1 Corinthians 8:12), and offended (1 Corinthians 8:13). This can be especially true with a new believer or a believer who has lived under legalism. He has a sensitive conscience, but he is not well educated. He does not have the knowledge that the strong believer possesses. The issue of Christian liberty is not settled in his conscience. Therefore, if he follows the lead of his stronger brother, he will end up with a tormented conscience. Although he has done nothing wrong, his conscience will tell him that he has.

It is important not to force the weak believer to live in his liberty. To do so would be legalism. One might argue that the weak believer should simply follow the example of the strong believer. After all, it is Biblical. And it is quite logical. But logic is not always the answer. A child’s fear of the dark is not logical. But he will

84 Susanna Wesley :The Complete Writings – Susanna Wesley & Charles Wallace 103

Biblical Psychology not be convinced by the logical arguments of an adult, especially if those arguments are delivered in a high- handed and uncaring fashion. As Warren Wiersbe said, “You cannot force-feed immature believers and transform them into giants.”85 It takes time, patience, and a lot of love. The weak believer has to get to know God. Only then will his weak conscience become strong.

You cannot expect a converted Jew or a converted Muslim to suddenly eat pork. Nor can you force a converted Muslim girl to remove her burka.86 She has had years, and probably decades, of ingrained attitudes that need to be dealt with. And finally, you cannot expect a converted Hindu to be comfortable around Christmas trees. In his mind, a Christmas tree is easily associated with idol worship. As Paul said, “to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean” (Romans 14:14). While some new believers are immediately able to embrace their liberty, others will take years to get there. If the new believer is not ready, forcing him to live in liberty might cause him to sin (Romans 14:23).

Similarly, some believers live in guilt for decades. They know that they are forgiven and they believe in the Finished Work. But they are unable to experience their forgiveness. Consequently, they are not able to experience and enjoy the liberty that Christ purchased for them. And when they do try, the result is more guilt.

None of this should be seen as a major problem. Weak believers can still worship God. As Paul said, “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks” (Romans 14:6). His point is that those who live in their liberty do so to the Lord. And those who do not live in their liberty also do so to the Lord. As Paul also said, “the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17).

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:9-12)

The believer has great liberty because of knowledge and truth. Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). But that liberty cannot be allowed to cause a weaker brother to stumble. A strong believer might be able to do something with a clear conscience, but that does not make it permissible.

The strong believer knows that he is totally forgiven, that he has liberty, and that all things are lawful. He is no longer under the Law. At least, he is not under the Law as represented by the Ten Commandments. But he is under a new law. He is under the law of love (James 2:8), which is a higher law. His conscience is now based upon love and is pricked when he operates outside of love.

In one sense, the moral conscience and the spiritual conscience are the same. They are both based upon the tablets of stone that make up the Ten Commandments. We can say this because the spiritual conscience is represented by the tablets of stone that were placed in the Ark of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:4). The difference, however, is that the Holy Spirit interprets the Law for the spiritual conscience. Specifically, He interprets and applies what Jesus Christ said when He told His disciples that the Law is based upon loving God and loving each other (Matthew 22:40). The spiritual conscience is based upon love, so that the spiritual man is constrained by love (2 Corinthians 5:14) in all of his thoughts, all of his words, and all of his actions (1 Corinthi-

85 The Bible Exposition Commentary – Warren Wiersbe – The New Testament / Volume 1, 1 Corinthians 86 A “burka” is the full body cloak worn by some Muslim women 104

Biblical Psychology ans 13:1-3). This is why Paul could say, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law” (Romans 13:10)

The strong believer who is operating out of love lays down his life and gives up his rights for the sake of the weak believer. He has liberty, but he also has responsibility. His love for his weaker brother gives him a responsibility to care for that weaker brother. He is not sentimental towards him. Nor does he pamper him. In- stead, he has a great desire to edify his weaker brother and to help him mature into a strong believer.

A faulty conscience is ultimately a conscience that lacks love. But the conscience of the spiritual man does not lack love. Therefore, he will abstain from certain activities, even though he has total liberty to partake of them. His motivation is now different. He abstains from certain activities not because they are unlawful, but because they do not manifest love.

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend (1 Corinthians 8:13)

Paul said, “Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22). Paul understood Christian liberty and he understood his freedom from the Law. He knew that he was free from God’s judgment. But he also knew that those around him would quickly judge him in everything that he did. He questioned these actions (1 Corinthians 10:29-30), but he did not let them bother him. Instead, he summed up his teaching by telling the Corinthians to do everything to the glory of God while, at the same time, causing no offense to others (1 Corinthians 10:31-32).

Paul’s pursuit was not his own well-being. Instead, he put his rights aside for the sake of the weaker brothers and the unsaved (1 Corinthians 10:33). His desire was a clear conscience, not just before God but also before man (Acts 24:16; 1 Corinthians 10:25). His pure conscience would become a source of love (1 Timothy 1:5). This is why his teaching went beyond the simple issue of food and drink. This is why he decided to abstain from “any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak” (Romans 14:21).

There is no simple list of things that offend people. If there were such a list, it would simply be another mani- festation of the Law. Certainly, the way a person dresses is important. A scantily dressed young lady can be stumbling block for a young believer (as well as a not-so-young believer.) She cannot simply say, “That is not my problem.” If he sins, she is partly responsible and has sinned against Christ (1 Corinthians 8:12). Similarly, men should also dress modestly. Great care should be taken with respect to the exercise of Christian liberty. Television, movies, music, sports, politics, business, patriotism, etc are all lawful before God. But all can also cause offense to weaker believers.

The strong believer’s conscience is connected not only to his liberty but also to his convictions. While he knows and lives in the liberty that Christ purchased for him, he also has strong convictions concerning things that he should do and things that he should not do. For example, he has strong convictions concerning alcohol consumption and church attendance. He has a policy of complete abstinence when it comes to alcohol. And it is a settled issue for him that he will attend all of the church services held at his local assembly. However, he is not legalistic. He does not beat up the weak believer with his convictions, even though these convictions are Biblical. He realizes that he cannot impose his convictions onto another believer without first imparting life, grace, love, and investment. He might lovingly exhort or rebuke the weak believer. But he also gives him space so that the Holy Spirit can develop the same convictions in the weak believer.

Church leaders have a greater responsibility in these areas, especially the pastor/teacher of the local assembly. He will probably have the greatest understanding of Christian liberty of anyone in his congregation. But he is also the one who must exercise the greatest care. He is the leader and people look to him as an example.

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Therefore, his liberty becomes a freedom to love. He can and should live in liberty. But his liberty should produce liberty in those around him, especially those with weak consciences.

Warren Wiersbe summed up Paul’s teaching on the conscience as follows :

“...We ought to note the fact that Paul probably appeared inconsistent to those who did not understand his principles of Christian living. At times, he would eat what the Gentiles were eating. At other times, he would eat only ‘kosher’ food with the Jews. But instead of being inconsistent, he was actually living consistently by the principles he laid down in these chapters. A weather vane seems inconsistent, first pointing in one direction and then in another. But a weather vane is always consistent: it always points toward the direction where the wind is blowing. That is what makes it useful.”87

Ultimately, the strong, spiritual believer lives by a set of principles88 : • Will my actions lead to freedom or slavery (1 Corinthians 6:12)? • Will my actions be a stumbling-block or a steppingstone (1 Corinthians 8:13)? • Will my actions build people up or tear them down (1 Corinthians 10:23)? • Will my actions please me or glorify Christ (1 Corinthians 10:31)? • Will my actions draw people to Christ or drive them away (1 Corinthians 10:33)?

87 The Bible Exposition Commentary – Warren Wiersbe – The New Testament / Volume 1, 1 Corinthians 88 The Bible Exposition Commentary – Warren Wiersbe – The New Testament / Volume 1, 1 Corinthians 106

Biblical Psychology

Chapter 10 Self-Consciousness

Self-consciousness, which can also be referred to as the self-image or the ego, is at the very center of man’s being. It deals with who he is and how he spends his time. In turn, these two things affect man’s relationship with God and the world around him. Pastor Stevens defined the self-consciousness as the part of the soul that “determines whether I am occupied with God, occupied with myself, or occupied with others.”89 It is not to be mistaken with the term self-conscious. A self-conscious person is preoccupied with himself when he should be preoccupied with God. This is certainly not what God desires. Self-consciousness, however, is a gift from God. It is, therefore, something to be valued and studied.

The French philosopher, René Descartes, coined the statement, “Cogito ergo sum,” which is Latin for “I think; therefore, I am.” This is in stark contrast to many in the modern world who actually question their own existence. This might sound like an absurd proposition, but films like The Matrix90 have challenged young people to view existence, awareness, and consciousness in a different way. This is another unfortunate consequence of a world where thinking has been replaced by entertainment.

The concept of existence and consciousness is central to man’s very being. A young child might be frightened by his dreams. But when he wakes up, he knows it was just a dream. He intuitively knows that what happens when he is awake is real and what happens when he is asleep is not real. Adam and Eve also knew that they existed. After the Fall, we read that “they knew that they were naked” (Genesis 3:7). Before the Fall, they did not know that they were naked. However, this does not mean that they did not know that they existed. They had a concept of self, but it was the concept that God wanted them to have. It was a God-conscious concept.

Man intuitively knows that he exists. This comes from God, because God has placed eternity in man’s heart (Ecclesiastes 3:11). This is how man differs from the animals. He has knowledge of self. Scientists have identified three kinds of knowing91, all of which have their counterparts in Biblical Greek. The first one is shared between humans and animals. But the other two are uniquely human : • Anoetic (non-knowing): The Greek counterpart is ginosko. This type of consciousness is limited to the present time and space. Organisms that possess this first level of consciousness can perceive and regis- ter some parts of their present situations. They can make some internal representation of what they perceive and then they can make some behavioral response to it. This is referred to as animal consciousness. A lobster can relate to water temperature, salt content, etc. And he can respond to it. • Noetic (knowing): The Greek counterpart is oida. This type of consciousness brings the individual out of the constraints of concrete objects and present events. He can know the world by means of symbols (written words, pictures, signposts, etc.) and he can be aware of things by hearing them, seeing pictures, remembering things in the past, and associating them with other things in the past or present. • Autonoetic (self-knowing): The Greek counterpart is epiginosko. This is the type of consciousness that makes people aware of how events and things personally relate to him. This self-knowing consciousness has to do with the past and the future as it relates to him. It is the awareness of how his present is a personal continuation of the past and a prelude to the future.

But all of this does not mean that man knows who he is. This, perhaps, is at the very center of man’s problems. Man does not know who he is. Typically, man has two questions – “Who am I?” and “Why am I here?” A

89 A View Toward Forever – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 90 In The Matrix, man’s brains are plugged into a vast computer system, called “The Matrix.” This computer system generates a virtual reality where man “lives” and interacts. The real world is replaced by a fake, virtual world 91 Psychology and Life – Philip G. Zimbardo – Chapter 7, The Nature of Consciousness (Attention and Awareness) 107

Biblical Psychology great many television shows and movies address the search for meaning. One such show is “Star Trek – The Next Generation,” which has an artificial life form, an android called Data, searching for what it means to be human. Data’s search included aspiring to be human. Hindus spend their lives trying to attain Nirvana, the ultimate state of existence where the ego is replaced by a perfect and eternal union with Brahman.92 The problem is that they try to do this by their own self-effort, devoid of the Cross. Furthermore, at the highest level, they enter into a lifestyle completely lacking in any relationships.

David, on the other hand, got it right when he asked, “What is man, that thou art mindful of him?” (Psalm 8:4). David did not know who he was, so he asked God. Unfortunately, man does not think the same way David did. Man is not interested in how God sees him. And that affects every aspect of his life in a very negative fashion. This is why the self-consciousness, or the consciousness, perception, and awareness of self, is a very important part of man’s soul.

The self-consciousness has two functions. These functions determine man’s identity and determine man’s purpose.

Functions of Self-Consciousness

What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? (Psalm 8:4)

Self-consciousness determines man’s identity. Since the Fall, man has been on a search for an identity. Nimrod was a mighty man (Genesis 10:8). And the people of Babylon wanted to make a name for themselves (Genesis 11:4). Young people (and older people!) drop out of society in order to “find themselves.” Others try meditation or mind-altering drugs. The search for an identity is behind Satan’s religious system. And it is often behind careers, societies, hobbies, etc.

Identity and having a good name are everything. Reputation and prestige are important, at least in the world.93 Man has an image of who he is, who he wants to be, and who he wants people to believe he is. He is not happy with the identity he already has, so he wants to attain to a better one. He has an ideal that he wants to live up to. If he cannot live up to this ideal, which is normally the case, he puts on a show. He tries to convince people that he is more than he really is. He then lives in fear of being uncovered.

Many people base their identities on their temperaments, their strengths and weaknesses, their morality, their wealth, their position in society, or their reputations. But many, if not all, of these can change. Man’s temperament is irrelevant. Some people are naturally very outgoing, while others are shy. But as Christ works in their lives, these things become less important. A man’s good reputation can disappear overnight, especially if some past indiscretion is uncovered. And his money can disappear just as quickly.

For many people, the first question that they ask when they meet someone new is, “What do you do for a living?” Jobs, titles, and positions within the company have become the basis for identity. But if the job disap- pears, do they have a different identity? Other people join societies and gangs because they want an identity. They cannot achieve a name on their own, so they choose to take the name of another. The irony is that Christ will give His name to any who desire it.

The Christian has a new identity. He has the name and the identity of Jesus Christ. This identity is the perfect identity. It is an identity which is given and which can never change. This is the identity that God desires all

92 The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions defines the Brahman in the Hindu religion as “the one supreme, universal Spirit that is the origin and support of the phenomenal universe” 93 The “world” in this context refers to Satan’s world system which operates outside of and in opposition to Christ’s Church. It consists of all unbelievers and can also include those believers who are not walking with God 108

Biblical Psychology men to have. Christians can easily fall into the trap of thinking that their position in a church is their identity. But a Christian’s identity is not determined as being a pastor, a deacon, a missionary, a pastor’s wife, etc. Nor is his identity just a lowly, unimportant member of the Body of Christ. Instead, all Christians are “members in particular” (1 Corinthians 12:27).

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? (Ecclesiastes 1:3)

Self-consciousness determines man’s purpose. The first spiritual casualty of the Fall was Cain. After being sent away by God, he built a city (Genesis 4:17). This became his purpose. Throughout the Bible, we read of men who sought a purpose. Most of them did it without God. King Belshazzar “made a great feast to a thousand of his lords” (Daniel 5:1). But then he died at the hand of the Medes and the Persians. His purpose was short-lived. Solomon tried every pleasure that the world have to offer, sparing himself nothing (Ecclesiastes 2:10). This was his purpose. In Ecclesiastes, he spoke of all that he had done and all that he had tried. He spoke of all of his exploits and all of his pleasures. Yet, he failed to mention his greatest achievement, the building of the Temple. In the end, he came to the conclusion that “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). And finally, Jesus spoke of a man who built bigger barns, but who then lost his life (Luke 12:13-21). His bigger barns could not help him. He had the wrong purpose.

One of the most famous quotes concerning a man’s unsatisfied need for purpose concerns Alexander the Great. “When Alexander saw the breadth of his domain, he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer.”94 Men have built great industrial empires, great dynasties, and even great nations. They have had purpose in their lives, but did their purpose have any eternal value? It is not uncommon for a man to bury himself in his work. His career is his purpose. For others, the golf course becomes a temple, where man’s purpose is to lower his handicap. Mothers often become obsessed with their families, especially their children. While being a good mother is something to be honored and respected, a mother's family should not be allowed to become her purpose. In time, her children will grow up and leave the home. She will be left with no purpose and might end up experiencing “Empty Nest Syndrome.”

Christian’s can easily make their ministries the center of their lives. Having five outreaches and seven Bible studies does not necessarily make a person spiritual. Such things can be done in the energy of the flesh, especially for a person who is naturally energetic. Church attendance is a vital part of a believer’s life, but it can easily turn from worship to entertainment. And it can easily become a social event. God does not even want His people to make missions and church-planting the center of their lives. This is His Son’s work (Matthew 16:18). Instead, He wants us to be occupied with Christ. He may approve of our works, but we never want to hear Him say, “Thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:4). God does not want man to waste his life on pointless activities. Instead, He wants man to live his life with an eternal purpose based upon an eternal Per- son.

Three Kinds of Self-Consciousness

And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods (Luke 12:18)

Natural self-consciousness puts self at the center of a man’s life. Sometimes he sees himself in a good light, and at other times he sees himself in a poor light. But in both scenarios, the root of the problem is pride. A man who holds himself in high esteem is a proud man. When things do not go well for him, he complains by saying that he deserves so much more. On the other hand, a man who holds himself in low self-esteem is still a proud man. The difference is that he is suffering from an inferiority complex. He is not surprised when things do not

94 While this quotation is generally attributed to Plutarch, its authenticity is questionable. It is, however, an excellent illustration of man’s need for purpose 109

Biblical Psychology go well for him, believing that he does not deserve anything anyway. Some view this attitude as sign of meekness and humility, but it is really another sign of pride. It may seem strange that there are people who take refuge in their inferiority and their misery. But the reality is that while some like to be the “King of the Hill,” others like to be the victim.

Natural self-consciousness is very much occupied with self-image and self-worth, even if these are both seen as poor. The natural man is very much occupied with how people see him and how he would like people to see him. For example, he has various means by which he attempts to hide a poor self-image. Some people are shy and easily embarrassed. They withdraw and live in isolation. They avoid rejection by shutting themselves off from society. Others are boastful. They go out of their ways to make sure that they are noticed. They put on an air of confidence, pretending that everything in their lives is good. But both are trying to cover something up. Both are hiding behind fig leaves (Genesis 3:7)

The natural man’s self-image is often strongly connected to the self-image of those around him. He puts some people on a pedestal and puts others in a pit. He exalts some people and destroys others. Often, this happens in groups. Friends in the world will exalt each other, while putting down those that are not in their social circle or clique. Their exaltation of other people is done only in the hope and belief that those people will reciprocate and exalt them in return. If this does not happen, exaltation can quickly turn to destruction. The person who was once on a pedestal is then pushed into a pit. Such is the nature of natural man’s attempts to build people up.

Many in the Bible had self-image problems. Haman was a man with a strong self-image. When the king chose to honor Mordecai, Haman believed that he was the one to be honored (Esther 6:6). The 10 spies, on the other hand, had poor self-images. They saw the Canaanites are giants and themselves as grasshoppers (Numbers 13:33). Only Caleb and Joshua had godly self-images (Numbers 13:30). The poor self-image of the 10 spies is sourced in the fact that many of them also saw God as a golden calf (Exodus 32).

Ever since the Fall, self-image has been man’s problem. But it also started off with Satan, or Lucifer, and his attempt to exalt himself above God and to give himself a better self-image than God (Isaiah 14:12-14). Lucifer said the words “I will” five times in this short passage. Since then, Satan has used the same spirit of self- exaltation to keep man from trusting in God. In the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, the Pharisee takes a page out of Satan’s book and says “I” five times. Just like Satan, the Pharisee wanted to exalt himself to be like God.

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica. … (2 Timo- thy 4:10)

Carnal self-consciousness brings an identity crisis in believer. He is born again and has a new nature, but still does not know who he is. The old sin nature distorts his perception of who he is. Satan, with his world system, works with the believer’s flesh to attack his identity.

Some believers think highly of themselves, while others think lowly. Paul cautioned the believer “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). He realized the danger of such thinking. But he also realized that other believers would think of themselves in a manner unbecoming of God’s children. Many believers, having a false sense of humility, talk about their inability to do certain things and their lack of capacity. There is a portion of truth to this. However, with Christ as their identity, Paul knew that all believers “do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13). Whether it be thinking highly or thinking lowly, the issue comes down to not living by faith.

Believers in the Bible who had poor self-images included Moses and Gideon, although this did change as God worked in their lives. When God called Moses to be the spokesman for His people, Moses complained that he

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The Parable of the Prodigal Son is a great example of two brothers who both had distorted self-images. Both were sons of their father. That was their identity. But both believed that sonship was something that needed to be earned. The elder brother said, “These many years do I serve thee” (Luke 15:29) and the younger brother said, “I … am no more worthy to be called thy son” (Luke 15:21). But the father called both of them sons (Luke 15:31-32). The Father knows who His children are even when His children do not.

Because of his identity crisis, the believer with carnal self-consciousness is frustrated. He has a perception of who he is, which is incorrect, and a perception of who he thinks he should be. He has an ideal view of how he should be and his frustration comes from being unable to reach this ideal. Satan energizes this frustration, often using poorly educated Christian leaders and Bible teachers. Many believers are told that having a good self-image is crucial. While there is an element of truth in this, the issue of “self” is still on the table. The truth is that Satan does not care whether the believer has a good self-image or a poor self-image. His only desire is that the believer remains occupied with “self.” The answer for the believer is not to improve his self-image. Instead, the answer is for the believer to “take up his cross” (Matthew 16:24).

Another symptom of carnal self-consciousness is the lack of an eternal purpose. The carnal believer is a worldly believer and a world lover. Such believers cannot claim to have peace. Demas, who served alongside Paul for so many years (Colossians 4:14; Philemon 1:24), forsook him, “having loved this present world” (2 Timo- thy 4:10). The Greek word translated as “love” is agape, which speaks of unconditional love. Despite serving faithfully with Paul for several years, he developed an unconditional love and was sold-out for the world. De- mas had a crisis with his identity and his purpose.

But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Spiritual self-consciousness tells a believer who he is and helps him see himself as God sees him. While he knows that he is not perfect, at least in his experience, he sees himself as perfect because God sees him as perfect. Paul had the perfect understanding of this principle. He saw himself as a perfect servant of God, but he also knew that it was God’s grace that was behind this perfection. Grace satisfied all of Paul’s needs. His grace-given identity (“I am what I am”) gave him security. And his grace-given purpose (“I laboured more abundantly than they all”) gave him significance.

David was another man who saw himself as God saw him. He did not see himself as a shepherd boy or a king. Nor did he see himself as the man who slew Goliath (1 Samuel 17) or the adulterous man who had Uzziah killed (2 Samuel 11). Instead, he saw himself as God saw him. This gave him the confidence to dance before the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:14) as well as the confidence to send the Ark back to Jerusalem when he was fleeing from Absalom (2 Samuel 15:25-26). Because he knew who he was in God’s eyes, he was able to place his confidence in Him.

The spiritual believer knows that he was created in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). But this does not make him proud. Instead, he agrees with John the Baptist, who said, “He must increase, but I must decrease”

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(John 3:30). He realizes that Christ must increase in his life. Pastor Stevens echoed this sentiment when he said, “I have allowed Christ to take over my self-consciousness; it is no longer I but Christ who lives in me.”95

Shame is the third result of the Fall. The love of God deals with this shame. It gives man a real sense of security and significance. It gives him a new identity and a meaningful purpose. This is how people change. They do not change because people tell them what to do. Instead, they change because people tell them who they are. Addressing the believer in his new identity does this. It increases his capacity which, in turn, increases his responsibility.

The spiritual believer also knows that “the sending of God’s Son is not a demonstration of our worth, but the greatest demonstration of the love, grace, mercy, and kindness of our God. The truth is that God saves us not because He sees anything of value in us, but despite the fact that there is nothing in us worthy of saving”96 (Romans 5:6-10; Titus 3:4-7; Ephesians 2:4-9). In the same article, Gary Gilley went on so say :

“The self-worth advocates destroy the concept of grace. The very definition of grace is God giving us what we do not deserve. If we are worthy of His salvation, then eternal life is not a gift of grace but a reward based on our value, or good works. This is a concept totally refuted in Scripture (Ephesians 2:8-9). For a person to come to Christ, he must first recognize his need for salvation. Teaching him that he is worthy in the eyes of God is to do him a terribly cruel and unbiblical injustice. The more we view ourselves biblically the more precious the love, grace, and mercy of our God becomes. If we consider ourselves worthy of any of God’s blessings, we have grossly cheapened His free gift of love and grace.”

These are hard sayings. They might even seem offensive. But being offended is an important part of the Chris- tian life. Bill Freeman put it succinctly when he said, “If we can be offended, then we need to be offended.”97 The psalmist wrote, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165). Many believers claim this verse as evidence of their love for God and His Word. But they can still be offended. And God is faithful to give them the necessary opportunities. We may be able to convince our brothers and sisters that we are spiritual people who cannot be offended, but God is not fooled. And He knows which buttons to press. One minute we are saying, “Well said, Pastor. You tell them, Pastor. Keep preaching the Cross, Pastor.” But then the Pastor says something that offends us and we say, “Why did he say that. He had no right to say what he said.” This may be hard to deal with, but it is good for us. God wants to go deeper in His elimination of the self-life. And offending people is frequently the method He employs.

People are easily offended. Jesus spoke many offensive words. When he spoke of people eating His flesh and drinking His blood, many left Him (John 6:66). They were offended. But others stayed because they knew that He was the only option that they had in their lives. They knew that He had the “words of eternal life” (John 6:68). Only a Christ-centered believer with spiritual self-consciousness can handle the offenses that life throws at him. He realizes that God will provide an environment for him that will force him to take up his Cross. He might not like it, but he realizes that it is for his own benefit and he welcomes it.

95 All That Is Within Me – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 96 The Biblical View of Self-Image - Gary Gilley - www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/25-psychology/573-the-Biblical-view-of-self- image 97 The Cross and The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 11, The Offended Self 112

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The following table98 contrasts the differences between what the world says about self-image and what God says about self-image :

What “Self-Image” Advocates Say What God In His Word Says

Love yourself Love God and others (Matthew 22:37) Build your self-esteem Build up others (Hebrews 10:24-25) You are good None righteous (Romans 3:23) Believe in yourself Heart is deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9) Put yourself first Put others first (Philippians 2:1-4) Think highly of yourself Be humble (Romans 12:3) You are of great value You are a sinner (Romans 3:10-11) Do what you want to do Walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) Find yourself Deny yourself (Matthew 16:24-26) Have self-confidence Put your confidence in God (Philippians 4:13)

Consciousness of Love

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved … (John 21:7)

John had the right consciousness of self. He knew who he was. He had the right identity and the right purpose. He knew that his purpose was to be loved by God. It’s really very simple. The person who holds himself in high esteem or low esteem places himself at the center of his life, which is a sure recipe for disaster. But the person who defines himself as the object of God’s love places Jesus Christ at the center of his life, which is sure to produce fruit.

John was the only apostle at the Cross when Jesus was crucified (John 19:25-27). This happened because he knew he was loved by God. The Gospels do not really say much about John’s exploits, it was Peter who was more active during this period. But John was close to Jesus during His entire ministry (John 13:25). This is what mattered.

The same can be said about Mary of Bethany, who sat at Jesus’ feet while her sister, Martha, was busy serving people (Luke 10:38-42). Jesus said, “Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Mary showed this to be true in her later encounters with Jesus. When Lazarus died and was placed in the tomb, Martha was impatient (John 11:17-27). She wanted to know why Jesus was late. But Mary waited patiently at home. Furthermore, it was Mary who anointed Jesus’s body for burial (Matthew 26:6-13). And again,

98 The Biblical View of Self-Image – Southern View Chapel (the original author of this table is not known) – http://www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/25-psychology/573-the-Biblical-view-of-self-image 113

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Jesus commended her when He said, “She hath wrought a good work upon me.” Mary sat at Jesus’s feet, then she anointed His body. The order is important.

Finally, Mary Magdalene is one of the finest examples of a woman who knew that she was loved by God. Not only was she at the Cross (John 19:25), but she was also the first person to see Jesus after the Resurrection (Mark 16:9; John 20:16). Only a person who knows that he or she is loved can truly display that kind of devotion. And only a person who knows that he or she is loved will receive that kind of honor from God. Mary Magdalene did not see herself as a person out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons (Mark 16:9), but as a woman who was truly loved by Jesus Christ.

For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Love is the very nature of Christian maturity. Prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will all pass away one day (1 Corinthians 13:8). Faith and hope will one day not be required (1 Corinthians 13:13). All that will remain is love. But Paul had to tell us that we still do not see things clearly and that we really do not know how much God loves us. This will change. One day we will understand. But not on this side of eternity.

One of Satan’s favorite ways of attacking the believer is in the area of his identity. He constantly tries to tell the believer that God does not love him. He points out failure and says, “Do you really think God could love you after all that you have done?” The believer with a spiritual identity crisis will inevitably believe that God has given up on him. He will believe the lies of the enemy. He will believe that God does not love him. He might even start to wonder if God ever really loved him or if he is even saved,

Such a believer needs to take a page out of John’s book. He needs to see himself as a person who is very much loved by God. He needs to understand that God’s love for him has nothing to do with anything special about him, but that it is sourced totally in God’s character and nature. John said, “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). God’s love came first. He demonstrated this great love in that “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Pastor Stevens spoke of subjective love, where God “is able to love with subjective love, regardless of how the object responds.”99 This is how God loves us. He loves us regardless of how we respond.

Three Levels of Consciousness

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me (Psalm 42:7)

The mind has three levels. These are the conscious mind, the subconscious mind, and the unconscious mind. All of these are related to different parts of man’s psychological make-up. They also have a spiritual connota- tion : • The conscious mind is the primary location of the mind and is the objective part of man’s consciousness. This is the part of man’s mind where his thoughts are seen most clearly. Man is aware of the activity of the conscious mind. It is used for reasoning, analyzing, problem-solving, and decision- making. But it also has a limited capacity and is easily overloaded. Therefore, it is best suited for smaller tasks. • The subconscious mind triggers reactions of the emotions, the conscience, the self-consciousness, and the will. This is the part man’s mind where his thoughts are seen dimly. Man is partly aware of the activity of the subconscious mind. It is faster than the conscious mind and has a greater capacity. There- fore, it is best suited for larger tasks. It is also the center of man’s reflexes and emergency responses.

99 What is the Mystery of Marriage? – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 114

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• The unconscious mind is the subjective part of man’s consciousness. This is the part of man’s mind where his thoughts are not seen. This is why the Holy Spirit has to call unto the deep. Man is totally unaware of the activity of the unconscious mind.

It is generally thought that only 10 percent of man’s mental activity takes place in his conscious mind. Some believe that the number is even lower than that. Professor Timothy D. Wilson believes the conscious mind processes 40 pieces of information per second, while the subconscious mind processes 11 million pieces of information per second.100

Man’s problems are very often rooted in his subconscious mind. In fact, his subconscious mind might be the root of most of his problems. This is because the subconscious mind affects the emotions and the conscience. Wounded emotions and a guilty conscience are the cause of many psychological problems. Guilt, fear, and shame began to plague man’s subconscious mind after the Fall. Their influence remains until the believer applies God’s provision and lives in his new identify and his new purpose.

The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly (Proverbs 26:22)

When a person wronged in some way, he may experience wounds in his subconscious mind. This can also happen if a close friend or relative is the wronged. In fact, there are many ways in which wounds develop. And these wounds can go deep. But how should he handle these wounds? And what are the consequences of not dealing with them? Wounded emotions and guilty consciences are self-centered. Therefore, they hinder a person’s compassion. This means that wounds that are not dealt with can result in a lack of compassion toward others involved in similar wrongdoing. This lack of compassion might apply to both the perpetrator and the victim. It can even apply to the person who has the wounds.

For example, a person who has grown up in a family that has been heavily involved in alcohol abuse might suffer from wounds. It is unlikely that he will have compassion or sympathy toward anyone else who is involved with alcohol. This lack of compassion will extend to anyone who makes, sells, or consumes alcohol. If his wounds are deep, he might react with an emotional outburst whenever anyone talks about alcohol. This would be especially likely if, for example, a believer makes some comment about alcohol being acceptable in small amounts. And a believer who says that it is alright to have an occasional glass of wine with dinner is sure to invoke an emotional outburst. The wounded person might believe that he is responding with a righteous indignation or out of strong convictions. But this is not the case. The truth is that he is self-centered and selfish.

While this book, its author, and the author’s church adhere to a strict, zero-tolerance policy towards alcohol, they also show compassion towards those who need help in this area. Many unbelievers consume alcohol. Some continue in this habit after they get saved. They do not see a problem with it because they do not know

100 Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious – Professor Timothy D. Wilson 115

Biblical Psychology any better. They have not yet developed the convictions that other Christians have. These convictions will not be developed by being around people who are living in their wounds.

Wounds can reside deep in the subconscious mind and can be hard to deal with. One way to deal with wounds is to forgive. Richard Wurmbrand was one believer who exemplified this principle. He spent many years in a Romanian prison during the Communist era. He was tortured for his faith and had many legitimate reasons to hate the Communists. But he would not allow a wound to develop in his subconscious mind. Instead, he forgave his captors and prayed for them. After his release, he wrote, “We prayed for the Communists and they tortured us the next day even worse than before the prayer.”101 Pastor Wurmbrand’s decision to love and forgive his enemies prevented a wound from developing in his soul. But it also enabled him to establish the ministry “Jesus to the Communist World,” which is now called “The Voice of the Martyrs.” Without forgiveness, this fine organization might never have been founded and the name of Jesus Christ might have been silenced in many parts of the Communist world. This is why the person whose family has been ruined by alcohol also has to forgive. He has to let go of his wounds and allow God to heal him.

Guilt is another deep-seated problem in the subconscious mind. Many believers are plagued with guilt, even though they know that they are forgiven and that they are eternally secure in Christ. Because of their guilt, they believe that God is still angry at them. They believe that they still need to make some kind of payment, offering, or penance for their sins. They may believe in the Finished Work, but this belief has not yet transferred itself from the conscious mind to the subconscious mind. They still see themselves as sinners, when they should see themselves as God sees them. They should see themselves as new creations, made perfect by the Finished Work of Jesus Christ.

As with emotional wounds, the answer for guilt is forgiveness. The guilt-ridden believer needs to understand that God has forgiven him. He then needs to forgive himself. This is not as easy as it sounds. The wounds and the guilt can go very deep. This means that the cure must also go very deep. It needs the impartation of the Word of God and personal illumination from the Holy Spirit. It also needs the time, love, and investment of the Body of Christ.

Ultimately, these problems are caused by the wrong self-image. The believer who does not know his identity and his purpose will inevitably experience emotional and guilt-related problems. The conscious and unconscious minds need to work together to resolve the believer’s identity crisis. They both need to inform and convince the subconscious mind of man’s identity and purpose. The conscious mind needs to plant words and seed thoughts into the subconscious mind. While the unconscious mind, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, needs to impart life and provide spiritual intuition.

Self-Consciousness and the Cross

Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:16-17)

Many people address psychological problems by simply saying, “Know yourself in Christ.” This sounds like good advice. And the believer certainly should know himself in Christ. But this advice can actually bring the wounded believer into more bondage. If he is unable to, or does not know how to, follow this advice, his wounds will develop further and grow deeper. Knowing yourself in Christ involves knowing your identity and your purpose. This only happens through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ must reveal Him- self to the believer.

101 Tortured For Christ – Pastor Richard Wurmbrandt – Chapter 7, How Western Christians Can Help 116

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But there is something else that is needed. Knowing yourself in Christ requires the Cross. The Cross is the ultimate means to deal with problems of self-consciousness. It is, in fact, the only way to take a self-conscious believer and turn him into a God-conscious believer. This is because the self-life is totally incompatible with the life of Jesus Christ. Therefore, the self-life must die before a believer can truly know himself in Christ. Un- fortunately, many believers think that they can know themselves in Christ without first going through the Cross. They want all of the benefits of Christianity, but without the death. They forget the words of Jesus, who said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Matthew 16:24).

Others believe that they don’t need the Cross, claiming that they died with Christ (Romans 6:3-11). While it is true that all believers died with Christ, it is also true that every believer is responsible prevent the rule of sin in his mortal body (Romans 6:12). Like Paul, every believer is responsible to “die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31).

These problems, where believers avoid or circumvent the Cross, are caused by blind spots in the believer’s life. Because the subconscious and unconscious minds are hidden, a believer’s blind spots are also hidden. Be- cause of his deceitful heart (Jeremiah 17:9), he might believe he is spiritual when he is, in fact, carnal. Like Job, he might be “righteous in his own eyes” (Job 32:1). Fortunately, God is faithful to reveal the problems of the “Hidden Self”102 that are rooted in the subconscious mind. He does not do this to cause pain and embar- rassment for the believer. Instead, He does it to expose, and ultimately terminate, the problems that are caused by the self-life. His goal is to deliver the believer from his self-life. Sometimes this can be a painful process. But the result is well worth the price of the Cross.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting (Psalm 139:23-24)

It is important to understand the difference between man searching the subconscious mind and God searching the subconscious mind. In some areas of secular psychology, the patient searches his subconscious mind in an attempt to find the root cause of his psychological problems. When he finds the cause, possibly some trauma from his childhood, he is told to address it. There are many ways in which he can do this, but they do not always work. At best, they are superficial. Without the Cross and the Blood of Jesus Christ, it is simply not possible to get to the root of a problem. Instead, this kind of self-analysis does nothing more than move man from the evil side of the Tree of Knowledge to the good side. As Pastor Carl Stevens said, “the Word of God makes it clear that self-analysis has no value at all in a believer’s life.”103 It leads to a dead end, where God’s solution (crucifixion) is replaced by man’s solution (rationalization). The Bible tells us that we do not need to waste our time trying to search our hearts. They are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Furthermore, we should not try to analyze others or search their hearts.

But Biblical Psychology is different. In Biblical Psychology, it is the Holy Spirit who does the searching. And when a problem is found, it is Jesus Christ who deals with it. But God is a gentleman. Therefore, He needs the believer’s cooperation. If the believer does not want God to deal with him, then God will honor his wishes. In these cases, the result is ever-deepening wounds rather than the liberty and freedom that come from the Cross. But the wise believer chooses to allow God to deal with him. He looks at these dealings as opportunities to take steps of faith, to get to know God, and to grow in his new identity.

God uses situations in the believer’s life to conform him into the image of His Son. He uses situations to transform him from a self-conscious believer into a God-conscious believer. The believer’s Cross is defined by his situations. Pastor Stevens said, “You need [the] situation, because without [the] situation you wouldn’t be

102 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 6, Transferred Out Of The Hidden Self 103 Self-Analysis versus God Is – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 117

Biblical Psychology pressed out of measure.”104 He then went on the say, “Your situations will find you out. I could come to the pulpit and bluff it if I wanted to. I could put on my Sunday face. But when the pressure gets rough, there is no bluffing. I am going to be what I am. The situation finds me out and reveals who I am.”105 This is what happens to many believers who claim that they do not need to take up their Cross. But the Cross will eventually find them out. This is why a believer who appears to have been walking with God for many years may fall away. He is still saved and he is still going to heaven. But he no longer wants to walk by faith. He does not want the discipleship of the Cross.

Finally, Bill Freeman talks about God placing us in an environment which will transform the believer:

“Brothers and sisters, the hidden self will never be exposed and dealt with until we take our environment absolutely – until we take our husband or wife absolutely, until we take the brothers and sisters absolutely. There cannot be even one inch of reservation in us – of thinking that others are wrong or that we are not being treated fairly. As long as there is just one little bit of blame toward someone or any self-vindication, Satan is still there lurking in our being in this hidden self.”106

These are hard words. But they are also words that we need to hear. The believer’s identity and purpose will never be truly established without the Cross. When Jesus talked about going to the Cross, Peter tried to stop Him. Jesus’s response was to call him “Satan” (Matthew 16:32). In one sense, Satan did not want Jesus to go to the Cross. And he certainly does not want the believer to take up his cross. He does not want the believer to live in his new identity. He does not him to operate in his new nature. This is why the believer must be like Jesus and set his face “like a flint” towards the Cross (Isaiah 50:7; Luke 9:51). In the final reckoning, the believer who does this will not be ashamed.

104 Beautiful For Situations – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 105 Beautiful For Situations – Pastor Carl H. Stevens Jr. 106 The Cross and The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 6, Transferred Out of the Hidden Self 118

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Chapter 11 The Will

God created man in His image. Since God has a will, He must also have created man with a will. But God also created man to have dominion. Man was created as a master, not a servant. Therefore, man’s will must be free. Free will, or free volition, is God’s first divine institution. The other divine institutions include marriage, family, the Church, and national entity.

Watchman Nee said, “the will represents the man.” He went on to say :

“In speaking about man and man's will, we should always keep in mind that, as human beings, we have a free will. This means that man is self-governed; man has an independent will. Whatever is not approved by him cannot be forced upon him, and whatever he opposes cannot be pressed upon him. Having a free will means that man has his own opinion. Man is not a machine to be maneuvered by others. All the actions of a man are controlled by himself. Within man there is a will. This will controls the things within and without. Man is not like a machine to be controlled by any power from outside. Within man there are governing principles that decide man's conduct for him.”107

The fact that God created man with a free will means that He values man’s rights to his thoughts, opinions, and decisions. Dr. John Dick said, “God has decreed, not only that men should act, but that they should act freely, and agreeably to their rational nature.”108 God could have created Adam without a free will. Or, He could have placed Adam in a garden with no Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. But if He had, Adam would not have been able to exercise his free will. He would not have been able to choose between obedience and disobedience. God still desires man to exercise his free will. This is true for both believers and unbelievers.

The will has five functions. These are choosing, deciding, agreeing, obeying, and hearing.

Functions of the Will

But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her (Luke 10:42)

The will chooses. There are three major kinds of choosing in the New Testament. The first of these is eklego. This type of choosing is by far the most commonly used of these three words. Its literal meaning is to “select out.” It is used in connection with making a selection or picking items. In the New Testament, it is always used in the middle voice, meaning that the person making the choice is really choosing something or someone for himself. Eklego is used in connection God’s election of Israel (Acts 13:17; Romans 11:5) and of the Church (John15:16; John 15:19; Ephesians 1:4). It is also used in connection with Christ’s selection of His disciples and apostles (John 6:70; Acts 1:2; Acts 15:7), as well as the early Church’s selection of servants (Acts 6:5; Acts 15:22; Acts 15:25). However, there is one uniquely human use of this word. This is when Mary chose “that good part, which shall not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:42). Mary sat at the feet of Jesus and chose something for herself that was eternal and that she could never lose.

107 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 9, Chapter 1, The Believer’s Will 108 Systematic Theology – Lewis Sperry Chafer – Volume 1, Chapter 15, Divine Decrees 119

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The second of these is epilego. This type of choosing speaks of naming. The most notable used of this word in the New Testament is when “Paul chose Silas” (Acts 15:40). Paul’s choice included giving Silas a name, although this really means that Paul gave him a title or a position within the Church.

The third of these is heireo. This type of choosing speaks of preference. In many ways, heireo goes a lot further that eklego in revealing the deepest desires of the will. Eklego can be a merely mechanical action. But heireo gets to the heart of the matter. When Paul was faced with the choice between remaining on the earth to continue the Lord’s work and going home to heaven to be with the Lord, he faced with a dilemma in his heart. Both were beneficial and he could not decide which one he preferred (Philippians 1:21-22). God has preferred His people to salvation (2 Thessalonians 2:13). Not only has He chosen us, but He has also preferred us. His election of the Church is not an arbitrary choice. It is a choice that is sourced deep within in His loving heart. And finally Moses preferred “to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season” (Hebrews 11:25). Moses’s choice was based upon a heartfelt love for his people.

Choice is a big subject in the 21st century. Freedom is often related to a person’s right to choose. But this right to choose only works when freedom is tempered by love and responsibility. Democratic nations get to choose their government. But this falls apart when the people make choices based upon selfish desires. Many people believe that drugs and alcohol are acceptable. They believe that it is a matter of choice. But the impact of these substances on society makes it abundantly clear that it is neither a loving nor a responsible choice. Others believe that they have the right to choose their own sexual preference, choosing to live a homosexual life. But their choice has a negative impact on the family, and ultimately on the nation. Finally, the Pro-Choice movement promotes abortion, professing that it is the woman’s choice as to what she does with her body. But at the end of the day, the leaders of this movement are promoting murder, which is neither loving nor responsible.

When I send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, be diligent to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there (Titus 3:12 - NKJV)

The will decides. There are two major kinds of deciding in the New Testament. The first of these is krino or diakrino. This type of deciding distinguishes, discriminates, or determines between different options. A person looks at the various options, weighs up the pros and cons, and then makes a decision. Diakrino is also translated as “judge,” “discern,” and “doubt.”

When diakrino is translated as “judge,” it brings with it a sense of condemnation. Jesus warned us about the dangers of judging people, telling us that it can bring judgment on ourselves (Matthew 7:1). However, He also told us that we would judge Israel during the Millennial Kingdom (Matthew 19:28). The issue, as with all things, is an issue of the heart and the motivation for judging.

When diakrino is translated as “discern,” it is generally used to determine what is of God and what is not of God. Gideon did this when he used the “fleece test” to determine whether or not he was hearing from God (Judges 6:36-40). Many have argued that Gideon had a problem trusting God. But it is more reasonable to think that he did not trust himself. When the fleece test was complete and Gideon knew that he had heard from God, he had no problem trusting God and His plan to save His people. Gideon trusted God, even though His plan seemed completely impossible (Judges 7).

Finally, when diakrino is translated as “doubt,” it is means that a person is analyzing God’s promises in order to determine (1) how God is going to fulfill those promises, and (2) whether or not he is going to believe those promises. Paul said that “whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). The Greek word used here for “doubt” is diakrino. Whenever a person analyzes God’s plan and God’s promises, he is sinning. It does not matter if God’s promises sound impossible. That is the point! God glories in the impossible and in the miraculous. If God makes a promise, then that is all that matters. Balaam said, “hath he said, and shall he not do it?” (Numbers 23:19). Paul said, “I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:25). And Gideon

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The second of these is diagnosis. This type of deciding means making a decision based upon thorough knowledge and examination. When a doctor diagnoses a patient, he examines him thoroughly and makes his diagnosis based upon this examination as well as upon his medical knowledge, training, and experience. Diag- nosis also speaks of carrying out an investigation. When Felix was trying to determine what to do with Paul, he needed to consult with “Lysias the chief captain” in order to complete his investigation (Acts 24:22).

Discernment and investigation are an important part of decision-making. Decisions should not be made until all of the pertinent information has been gathered and examined. This is true as much in the spiritual realm as it is in the material realm. While the believer should trust God, he should also “try the spirits whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).

Can two walk together, except they be agreed? (Amos 3:3)

The will agrees. There are two major kinds of agreeing in the New Testament. The first of these is sumphoneo. This type of agreeing speaks of harmony and is the origin of the English word “symphony.” It is a very deep type of agreement. Jesus spoke of a heavenly agreement which involved His Father (Matthew 18:19). But Pe- ter also accused Ananias and Sapphira of being involved in a Satanic agreement, which resulted in their deaths (Acts 5:9). James spoke of the importance of being in harmony with the Word of God, specifically the prophets (Acts 15:15). And Jesus made it abundantly clear that there could be no harmony between the old life and the new life (Luke 5:36). This type of agreement is absolute. There is no middle ground and there is no way of being in two camps. We are either in harmony with God or in harmony with Satan.

The parallel with musical harmonies really brings out the beauty of this kind of agreement. When believers are in harmonious agreement with God, the song made is rich, full, and beautiful. When a believer is in harmonious agreement with God, this harmony, or agreement, resonates throughout every aspect of his life

The second of these is suntithemai. This type of agreeing speaks of bringing different parties together to make a pact or a covenant. It is a very shallow type of agreement, being less harmonious than sumphoneo. Generally, it speaks of parties making agreements or compromises that somehow serve those parties. This is what happens when nations make pacts and peace treaties with each other. In the New Testament, the only people who made this kind of agreement were the Jews who were plotting either against Jesus (Luke 22:5; John 9:22) or against Paul (Acts 23:20; Acts 24:9). There was no real harmony among the Jews. But they were united by a common hatred for Christ. This common “enemy” led to an uneasy agreement.

Agreement is important, but the source of the agreement or the reason for the agreement is equally important. Agreement needs to be based upon something deep and something real. It must be based upon God’s Word. It must be based upon the idea that something is right, rather than the idea that something will benefit me. For example, agreement in marriage is crucial. Agreements based upon truth and love will lead to a peaceful and harmonious home (although there will still be problems!). But compromises that are made “just to keep the peace” will result in anything but peace. They will always lead to disaster.

But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you (Romans 6:17)

The will obeys. There are two major kinds of obeying in the New Testament. The first of these is peitho. This type of obeying speaks of being persuaded or influenced. It is very much related to faith and belief. But it can

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Biblical Psychology also speak of being manipulated. The believer is told to be persuaded by those who are his leaders (Hebrews 13:17).109 True leadership is persuasive in nature. It does not demand obedience. Instead, it takes the time to present its case. This takes time, humility, and patience. This does not mean that a true leader is inefficient. A few, well-chosen words are all that are needed to persuade a willing follower, especially if the leader has in- vested in him. James spoke about this principle when he said, “we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us” (James 3:3). A small bit, placed in the horse’s mouth, is sufficient to exert the necessary influence on this large animal. Such is the nature of persuasion. It produces a gentle and willing obedience.

But Paul also warned of the dangers of the wrong forms of influence. The Galatian churches found themselves the target of such manipulation. Paul had previously persuaded them of the truth of the Gospel of Grace. But Judaizers had come along manipulated them into believing that they still needed to keep the Law. They were bewitched (Galatians 3:1) and hindered (Galatians 5:7) to the point that they were no longer convinced about the truth of the Finished Work.

The second type of obedience is hupakouo. This type of obeying is more authoritative than peitho. It literally means to be “under hearing” or to submit to the words of others. Jesus, as the Son of God, had great authority. He had authority over “the winds and the sea” (Matthew 8:27) and “unclean spirits” (Mark 1:27). Such is the authority that Jesus Christ has over His creation, and even His enemies. The believer also has this authority. Jesus told His disciples, “If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you” (Luke 17:6). Obedience is a Biblical mandate. Children are to obey their parents and servants are to obey their masters. But parents must also love their children and masters must be kind to their servants. In other words, obedience is not dictatorial (Ephesians 6:1-9; Colossians 3:20-22).

Obedience is also necessary in the spiritual realm. Persuasion on its own is not enough. Obedience to the Gos- pel of Grace is also required. In the early Church, many were “obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7), while others were not (Romans 10:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:8). Faith and obedience go hand-in-hand. If a person is persuaded by what he hears, then he will obey it. This is what James was talking about when he said, “I will show you my faith by my works” (James 2:18). James was not teaching salvation by works. Instead, he was teaching the great truth of faith-obedience. Abraham exhibited this when he followed God’s call even though he did not know where he was going (Hebrews 11:8).

Persuasion and obedience are difficult areas in the Christian life. Leaders have to be very careful. While they genuinely desire the best for their people, they cannot force them to change their behavior. They cannot force an attitude change. And they certainly cannot force a person to become a believer. Leaders need to trust their people. This can be hard, especially for insecure leaders. And more importantly, they need to trust God in the lives of their people. Many will not obey the Truth (Romans 2:8). This is not easy for a leader. But he must respect the free volition of both the unbeliever and the believer-priest.

Obedience is an important part of God’s will. God does not reveal every part of His plan to the believer. He only reveals what is necessary, expecting the believer to obey Him by faith. Abraham “obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8). Abraham only had part of the plan, but he obeyed it anyway. God then revealed the next steps. Every believer needs to operate in the same manner. Some might get frustrated, wanting God to reveal the entire plan, or at least the next few steps. But often God will not reveal the next steps until the first steps have been obeyed. This is how He develops patterns of faith-obedience in the believer’s will. In a similar manner, God might not reveal His specific will for a believer’s life until that believer has obeyed His revealed will. For example, God requires every believer to attend a local assembly (He- brews 10:25). Therefore, every believer should obey God and go somewhere. He should not stay at home wait-

109 The King James Version says, “Obey them that have the rule over you.” This is a rather authoritarian translation which does not do justice to the original Greek 122

Biblical Psychology ing for God to lead him somewhere. This is what happened when Abraham’s servant was looking for a bride for Isaac. He said, “being in the way, the LORD led me” (Genesis 24:27). The servant first obeyed his master by going, then God gave him specific leading.

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches (Revelation 2:29)

The will hears. Hearing is important because it affects the other functions of the will. This is especially true of obedience. The will’s obedience is directly related to the will’s hearing. The will obeys what it hears. This is why hearing is so important. Paul said, “you are slaves of the one whom you obey” (Romans 6:16 – NASB). The word translated as “obey” is hupakouo, which means to be “under hearing” or to submit to the words of others. What Paul was saying is that man is a slave to whatever he submits to or listens to. If he listens to his flesh, he will be a slave to his flesh and the result will be sin. But if he listens to sound doctrine (Romans 6:17), he will be a slave to the truth and the result will be righteousness. This is not legalism. It is a necessary decision to yield one’s will to righteousness instead of the flesh.

God commanded Israel to hear His voice (Deuteronomy 5:1; Deuteronomy 6:3; Deuteronomy 6:4). Listening to God is possibly the most important function of the will. This is why God repeated this commandment so many times. The prophets consistently stressed the importance of hearing God’s Word (2 Kings 7:1; Isaiah 1:10; Jeremiah 2:4; Ezekiel 3:17; Hosea 4:1; Amos 3:1). Christ confirmed this during His ministry (Mark 4:20; Luke 5:1). And so did the early Church (Acts 13:7; Acts 13:44). Hearing the Word of God is an important part of the Gospel (Acts 15:7). But for hearing to be fruitful, it must lead to action and obedience (Luke 11:28).

The Church has a new source of hearing. The Church can listen to the Holy Spirit. On seven separate occa- sions, the Apostle John said, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Reve- lation 1-3). In each case he was addressing a different church and a different set of issues. The point, however, is that hearing the Holy Spirit is definitely connected with church attendance. Believers are called to local assemblies. And while believers who do not attend a church might be able to read the Bible in the isolation of their own homes, they will not be able to hear from the Holy Spirit. Such communication requires the Body of Christ in a local assembly. Therefore, a healthy will requires the Body of Christ in a local assembly.

Three Kinds of Will

Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: (Ephesians 2:2)

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband (Romans 7:2)

The natural will is disobedient. It is rebellious. It has chosen Satan’s will over God’s will. God wants man to walk by faith, but the unbeliever chooses to walk by sight. God wants man to operate by grace, but the unbeliever chooses to operate by works. God wants man to live in the Spirit, but the unbeliever chooses to live in the flesh. And God wants man to be energized and motivated by Him, but the unbeliever chooses to be ener-

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Biblical Psychology gized and motivated by Satan. The Greek word for “worketh” used above is energeo. It really speaks of the source of a person’s authority. For the believer, this source should be God (Philippians 2:13). But for the unbeliever, this source is always the flesh.

The natural will is bound to sin. The unbeliever thinks that he is free, while saying that the believer is in bondage. He is like a bird in a cage who says, “Look at the poor Christian. He doesn’t have a cage.” But he has got it the wrong way round. Everything in his life is sin. He can choose what type of sin to commit, even choosing to do “good” things. But it is all still sin, and that really is no choice.

Many unbelievers sincerely desire to serve God. These are the religious people. Muslims and Mormons, for example, both believe that they are serving God. But this is not God’s will for man. Therefore, their worship is not true worship. Watchman Nee said, “Man may initiate and prepare many good works; he may think that this is serving God, but if the works are not initiated and carried out by God, man is just worshipping his own will!”110 The unbeliever’s good works are not true worship. They are will-worship.

Other unbelievers don’t even make a pretense of trying to serve God. Some say that He doesn’t exist, while others simply don’t care. But at the core, they are just the same as the religious people. They make their own gods. They have gods of fame, power, and money. They have gods of sex, drugs, alcohol, and music. They are gods of sports, beauty, and fitness. Some make gods of their families and their children. And others, for example, think of mountain climbing as a religious experience. For them, the mountain is their god. But these gods are no different to the millions of gods worshipped in the Hindu religion.

Ultimately, man’s will is yielded to his god. This is true as much for the unbeliever as it is for the believer. But the unbeliever’s will cannot serve the true, living God. That is why God’s will for the natural will is for salvation. Man does not want to be saved. Salvation is the one thing that the natural will does not desire to obey. That is why Paul said, “there is none that seeketh after God” (Romans 3:11). Salvation is not man’s idea, it is God’s idea. Salvation is not an intellectual or emotional response. It is a response of the will. Man exercises his will in a response to God’s will. As Watchman Nee said, “Salvation is nothing other than saving man out of his fleshly, natural, created, animal, and selfish will.”111

For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I (Romans 7:15)

The carnal will is yielded to sin. It is resistant to God’s will. It is still motivated by the flesh, the world, and the devil. Therefore, the carnal will lines up with the enemy’s will. The carnal will makes decisions from an earthly and temporal perspective. It makes decisions that impact the earthly kingdom, of which Satan is the ruler, instead of the heavenly kingdom. He becomes obsessed with the problems of the world or with increasing his pleasure and comfort in the world. As a result, he turns his back on the things which are eternal. Business becomes more important than church attendance. Politics becomes more important than soul-winning. And world news becomes more important than the Bible. Demas was such a believer (2 Timothy 4:10), turning his back on Paul because of his unconditional, self-sacrificing love for the world. This does not mean that the spirit- filled believer should be ignorant of business, politics, and world news. But he should always be looking at them from an eternal perspective. Then he will make decisions to be more vigilant in church attendance (He- brews 10:25), soul-winning (Mark 16:15), and Bible study (2 Timothy 2:15).

The carnal will is passive. The carnal believer thinks that refusing to exercise his will is the same as doing God’s will. Watchman Nee said, “The meaning of passivity is that the will no longer actively rules and directs a person's spirit, soul, body, or any part; consequently, he does not use his will to choose and decide every-

110 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 9, Chapter 1, The Believer’s Will 111 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 9, Chapter 1, The Believer’s Will 124

Biblical Psychology thing that is related to himself.”112 The carnal believer refuses to make decisions, choosing to let his life be controlled by circumstances. He submits passively to his environment, thinking that God is deciding for him. He refuses to make decisions, thinking that he does not have the capacity. And he allows others to make decisions for him, thinking that he does not have the right to exercise the free will that God gave him. He mistakenly believes that his passivity is a form of submission to God. He believes that it brings him into unity with God. But Satan is behind his passivity. He cannot get the believer to cooperate with his will, so he uses deceit to convince the believer that he is cooperating with God’s will. The result is that he is a pawn is Satan’s hand.

The carnal will is submissive. Its desire is to do God’s will. This might sound very reasonable, but being submissive to God’s will is not the same as being in agreement with or in harmony with God’s will. The carnal believer might do what God required of him, but that does not mean that he is in agreement with what God requires. It does not mean that his heart is right. A servant obeys the orders that his master gives to him, even if he does not understand them, like them, or agree with them. He is a servant and his function is to do what his master orders. But Jesus no longer calls us servants. He calls us friends (John 15:15). The servant thinks in terms of actions and performance. He asks, “Am I doing what God wants me to do?” Or, “Is God happy with my performance?” But the friend thinks in terms of his relationship with his Lord and Master.

The carnal will is trivial. It is obsessed with knowing God’s will in “trivial” matters. Does God really care what car a person drives? Or where He lives? Or what he has for lunch? The carnal will can become so obsessed with these trivial issues that he misses the more important issues. What is more important? What car a man drives, or driving that car responsibly? Where a man lives, or being a good testimony to his neighbors? What a man has for lunch, or taking the time to witness to his waitress?

Finally, the carnal will is anxious. It is always worried that it is not lining up with God’s will. Because the carnal believer is performance-oriented, he ends up striving (Romans 7:19). Therefore, he has no peace. He does not realize that it is impossible for him to do God’s will. He does not realize that, because of his old sin nature, he cannot serve God (Joshua 24:19). He might get so worked up about choosing the right outreach that he ends up staying at home. His concern about being in God’s will might become so intense that it takes him right out of God’s will.

Ultimately, the carnal believer is living a self-centered life, with no Cross. Therefore, he is not living in the freedom that Christ purchased for him. His will is not free. God’s will is for this to change. Discipleship is God’s will for the believer, just as salvation is God’s will for the unbeliever. And just like salvation, discipleship is God’s idea not man’s idea. The new believer, left to his own devices, would simply slip back into the world. But God has a plan for that believer. And that plan is not contingent upon the believer’s obedience. In fact, God knows that the believer will be disobedient.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure (Philippians 2:13)

The spiritual will is yielded to God. It is broken. This is not to be confused with the broken will of a dog or a horse. A dog can be trained to obey. But often this is done by harsh means, leaving a dog that is too scared to disobey his master's will. Horses need to be broken before they can be ridden. But the horse would still rather

112 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 9, Chapter 2, Passivity and the Danger of Passivity 125

Biblical Psychology run free in the fields. This is not how God breaks the believer’s will. God does not turn the believer into a mindless robot. When God breaks the believer’s will, he breaks the chains that connect that will to the believer’s old sin nature. The issue for the spiritual will is not what decisions are made, but how those decisions are made. There is a new source for decision-making. The old source was the old sin nature, but the new source is the nature and character of Jesus Christ that resides inside of every born-again believer. And decisions made from this new source are always consistent with God’s will.

The spiritual will is active. Jesus said, “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John 15:7). Clearly, Jesus knew that the spiritual will was a thing to be valued. And Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ” (Philippians 4:13). Paul knew that, through Christ, he had a limitless capacity. This capacity included the ability to make decisions, something that Paul was very willing and able to do. This capacity is available to all believers.

The spiritual will is peaceful and free. This is what it means to be broken. The chains of the old sin nature have been broken. The spiritual believer is free. He is free to serve God. But he is also free to make decisions. He has been freed from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and he is free to run around the garden eating whatever fruit he chooses (Genesis 2:16). He is free to enjoy God’s creation. He is free to live and because he knows that he is free, the spiritual man is no longer worried over God’s will. This freedom brings with it a great sense of peace.

Finally, the spiritual will is harmonious. Jesus always did the will of His Father because their wills were harmonious (John 4:34; John 6:38). They were in total agreement and unity with each other. Similarly, the spiritual will is in complete agreement with God’s will. The spiritual believer loves God’s will because he loves God. He has the same desires as God because he has the same heart as God. God’s desire and God’s will are the same. Therefore, once the believer has God’s desires, he also has God’s will. The spiritual will is now sensitive to God’s will. And God’s specific will in a particular believer’s life is now second nature to the spiritual will.

Being Constrained By Love

For the love of Christ constraineth us … (2 Corinthians 5:14)

Ultimately, love should be the force which both restrains and compels man’s will. The Greek word translated as “constraineth” literally means to hold together. Love is the glue that holds the will together. The will should literally be surrounded and besieged by love. Many make decisions and choices based upon personal desire and personal preference. Such people have self-centered wills that are not constrained by love. Others make decisions and choices based upon the Law, thinking that this is what God wants. But Jesus Christ said that the love was at the very center of the Law (Matthew 22:37-40).

Love must be in line with truth. Otherwise, it can turn into sentimentality. True love cannot exist without truth (3 John 1). Sometimes, the believer needs to make tough decisions. If a friend is living an unhealthy lifestyle or is in an unhealthy relationship, the only loving thing to do is to tell them the truth (Ephesians 4:15). This truth might hurt, but this is preferable to the alternative. This is preferable to allowing him to continue along the same path of destruction. And deciding to be truthful is the most loving thing a believer can do when evan- gelizing. Many modern church movements have stopped talking about sin, believing that the sin issue will scare people away from the Gospel. But talking about sin is important. Without sin, there would be no need for the Cross. And without the Cross, there would be no Gospel. Telling people the truth about their sin might not be very pleasant. But it might be the most loving decision a believer can make.

The believer who operates by love is a believer who is operating in the will of God. There is an important progression when it comes to love. “First, I let God love me. Second, I love myself. Third, I love God and, finally, 126

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I am very free to love you and everyone else – even my enemies.”113 With this progression comes a love for the things that God loves. God loves the lost, so we love the lost. God loves missions, so we love missions. And God loves His plan, so we love His plan. As we draw closer to God, our motivations change and we start to have the same desires as God. Because of death to the self-life, we now have the same attitude as God. His heart is now our heart and His will is now our will. Not because God is telling us what to do, but because we now want the same things that He does. We now delight in doing His will. It is our food, just as it was for Je- sus (John 4:34). It is a provision and everything else is expendable.

Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father (John 10:17-18)

The greatest decision of love is to lay down one’s life. And the greatest example of this was the death of Christ on the Cross. But the believer also has many opportunities to lay down his life for his brothers and his friends (John 15:13). The believer’s will is a free will. But the greatest exercise of that free will is to lay it aside for the needs of another. We live in a world where people are obsessed with their rights. There is nothing inherently wrong with that. After all, Jesus Christ died to set us free. But for many believers, the self-life is the last obstacle that stands between them and true freedom. The person who is obsessed with his own life and his own rights is a miserable person. The same is also true of those who are obsessed with wealth, possessions, power, reputation, etc. But the most joyous and free person is the believer who is so in love with God and so in love with those around him that his life, his rights, and his possessions no longer matter to him. Such a man, a “prisoner of the Lord” (Ephesians 4:1), is free indeed.

Love is the ultimate expression of liberty. Mother Teresa was a living example of this. She lived to love others, just as Jesus Christ loved her. As such, she was free from the bondage of the self-life. Jesus laid down His life voluntarily. He had the authority and the liberty both to lay it down and to take it up again. God has given the same authority to every believer. A believer does not lay his life down because someone tells him to. If he did, it would be legalism. Instead, he lays his life down it because he chooses to. He does it because of love. There- fore, he is free.

It is paradoxical that the believer can only find true liberty when he lays down his life. He can only find true liberty as the Lord’s prisoner. This principle goes all the way back to the time of Moses. Servants and slaves only had to serve their masters for six years. After that, they could go free. But a servant who loved his master could choose to stay with him and serve him forever (Exodus 21:1-6). Such a servant was a “free servant.” In one sense, nothing had changed. He was still a servant. But there was one big change. Beforehand, he was a servant out of obligation; afterwards, he became a servant out of love.

Every believer is a prisoner. He is either a prisoner of the self-life or a prisoner of the Lord. Choosing to be a prisoner of the Lord brings freedom. Paul was a free man who made himself a servant to all men (1 Corinthi- ans 9:19). Paul’s liberty in Christ led to him being a servant to all. A will which is both free and yet constrained by love will do this. It will put the well-being of others before its own rights and liberties. It will go out of its way not to offend a brother. It will put aside nationalistic pride, especially in international ministries. It will put aside political differences, while saying true to Biblical principles such as abortion, adultery, divorce, and homosexuality. And it will dress moderately, understanding that both men and women are easily led astray by inappropriate clothing.

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The Two Wills

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (Romans 6:16)

A man’s decisions do not live in isolation. One decision can very easily have an effect on the next decision. For this reason, man can be seen as having two wills, the first will having an effect on the second will. There are four ways in which the first will can impact and influence the second will. These should be thought of as broad categories, with a certain degree of overlap.

And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, that David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem (2 Samuel 11:1)

The first will gives no place to sin. It gives no “place to the devil” (Ephesians 4:27) and makes no “provision for the flesh” (Romans 13:14). It avoids situations where Satan might bring in opportunities for sin. And it seeks situations where there is an inherent covering against sin. King David would have done well to have taken this advice when he chose to stay in Jerusalem. If he had been in battle, with his men, he would have had a covering. He would have been occupied with God’s work and he would have been surrounded by friends and advisors. In such a situation, Satan would have found it very hard to tempt David. But David chose to remain in Jerusalem. This seemingly harmless decision led to adultery (2 Samuel 11:4), the arranged killing of a mighty man (2 Samuel 11:15-17), and the swift death of the son who was born out of that adultery (2 Samuel 12:15).

Drawing back from the Body of Christ and missing outreach are very serious issues. Certainly, there are times when a believer has to miss a church service or an outreach. There are many valid reasons, and the believer does not have to explain them to anyone. But when believers make a habit of not being around the Body, this is a time to be concerned. The Body of Christ and the work of the ministry are a great covering from sin. When these coverings are missing, sin is just around the corner, waiting to pounce. But the humble believer acknowl- edges his need for the Body. He realizes how weak and frail he is. And he realizes that the Body is God’s provision to keep him on track.

Wise believers make many such decisions in their lives, some of which can also be profitable to unbelievers. A person who has a weakness with television might choose not to have a television in his house. The first will says, “No television,” so the second will no longer has to worry about it. If a person has a weakness for alcohol, it might be wise for him to plan his life so that he never passes a liquor store. He should certainly avoid being around people who still drink. And a man who has a problem lusting after women might want to avoid going to the beach.

Many ministries advise strongly that men and women should not be alone together. One pastor has made it quite clear that the only women he will ever be alone with are his mother, his wife, his daughter, and his grand-daughter. This might sound somewhat extreme. After all, is it sinful to be alone with a person of the opposite gender? But Satan is lurking in the shadows. He is looking for opportunities. That is why this is such wise counsel. And that is why it is also required of men in leadership. And let’s be honest. The only reasons that a person would not want to follow such counsel are pride or a secret desire to commit sexual sin.

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Many ministries also have a strong policy of no-touch love. The words, “You may now kiss the bride,” should mean, “You may kiss her for the first time.” Some may disagree with this policy, but it is Biblical (1 Corinthi- ans 7:1). Furthermore, the truth is that kissing before marriage is dangerous and can very easily lead to sexual intercourse. Kissing is extremely intimate and has a tendency to lower a person’s inhibitions. A couple who are dating might decide that sexual intercourse has to wait until marriage, but that kissing is alright. The problem is that once they kiss, their decision to abstain from other sexual activities might soon crumble. But a decision in the first will to say, “We will not kiss,” should mean that the second will does not have to address the issue of sexual intercourse.

And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD (Joshua 24:15)

The first will has settled certain issues. These include church attendance, tithing, outreach, etc. They can also include setting aside one night a week as “Date Night” and another night as “Family Night.” Many wise believers decided years ago that certain times of the week would be set aside for church services. On a Sunday morning, for example, such believers do not have to decide whether or not they are going to go to church. That decision was made many years ago. It is a settled issue, and all that they have to do is to live in that decision.

Settled issues are often more a question of wisdom than they are of spirituality. A man who has settled the issue concerning outreach might have done so because he knows how weak he is in that area. He might not really have a passion for outreach. But he knows that he should go and he knows that it is good for him to go. Therefore, he makes a decision to go and He trusts God for the outcome. He might stumble into the outreach meeting with absolutely no spiritual motivation and absolutely no desire to go. But at least he is there. The rest is up to God.

Settled issues also bring with them opportunity for accountability. A man who is not so disciplined with money might ask another brother to keep him accountable when it comes to tithing and giving. The operation of the first will in such cases, as in all cases, makes the operation of the second will a much less stressful and difficult affair.

Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend (1 Corinthians 8:13)

The first will has spiritual convictions, which are related to the Word of God. Convictions are very similar to settled issues. The big difference, however, is that there is a passion. A believer who is not passionate about soul-winning, will not have a conviction about it. He has to rely upon settled issues to motivate him to go. But a believer who has a passion for the lost will also have a conviction concerning soul-winning.

Convictions are based upon love, not duty. The person with convictions knows and understands the “why” behind the “what.” He knows the truths as revealed in the Bible. But the Holy Spirit has also given him a strong conviction concerning these truths. This is why convictions must be exercised carefully. While the Bi- ble is very clear on the prohibition of alcohol, it makes no sense to use this prohibition to beat a new believer over the head until he stops drinking. The pastor should have a conviction that alcohol is wrong. And he should preach with strong convictions against alcohol. But the new believer, and even the old believer, will not truly turn his back on alcohol until the Holy Spirit convicts him and convinces him that alcohol is wrong.

Many believers have personal convictions and false convictions, neither of which are real convictions. Person- al convictions can be dangerous. They can be grounds for pride, legalism, and manipulation. If there is no Bib- lical basis for a conviction, then it might be more of an opinion than a conviction. False convictions are an even bigger danger. These are often based upon wounds or weaknesses. A person who has had a bad experi-

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Biblical Psychology ence with marriage might develop false convictions in this area. He or she might develop a conviction that marriage is wrong and is to be avoided. While they are free to decide that for themselves, such false convictions can have an adverse effect on those around them, especially young people.

Similarly, a person who comes from a family that has been ruined by alcohol might have a warped conviction concerning alcohol. While he should have a strong conviction against alcohol, that conviction should be based upon spiritual truth and not upon his wounds. This is especially true for pastors and other leaders. When a pastor preaches with genuine, spiritual convictions, his convictions produce life. But if his preaching is based upon false, wound-based convictions, these convictions produce death.

False conviction based upon weaknesses include people making decisions not to own a television, not to watch sports, not to discuss politics, not to go to the beach, etc. These might be wise decisions, but these are not convictions. Instead, they are examples of believers giving no place to sin. While false convictions should not be imposed on other believers, it might be that a strong believer will adopt these convictions out of love for his brother. For example, he might choose not to watch television because his brother has a weakness in that area. But it is his choice. It is something that he does out of love, not legalism. Because he loves his brothers, he does not want to offend those brothers who have weak consciences, unresolved guilt, weaknesses, and wounds. This is why Paul said, “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Galatians 6:1).

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)

The first will chooses to walk in the spirit. This is the ultimate application of the first will. It is the most spiritual and it is the way that Jesus Christ lived for His entire time on earth. It is a promise. If a believer walks in the spirit, then there is no way in which he can walk in the flesh.

The decision between walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit can be likened to a decision between two doors, one marked “Flesh” and one marked “Spirit.” If the believer walks through the second door, then the only things available to him are spiritual things. The lustful desires of the flesh, both good and evil, are all through the first door.

The beautiful thing is that the second door leads the believer into a larger place than the first door. Walking in the flesh is a very limited experience, but walking in the Spirit leads the believer to “a place of broad rivers and streams” (Isaiah 33:21) where there are “pleasures for evermore” (Psalm 16:11). This is ultimately how sin is dealt with in the life of the believer. And this is how God wants him to exercise his first will. After that, it does not matter so much how he exercises his second will.

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And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause (Job 2:3)

Developing right habits is important. Good habits are the characteristic of a man’s integrity. The relationship between the two will leads to the development of these habits. Habits involve all aspects for his life, from words to actions. Words become thoughts, thoughts become facts, facts become truth, truth becomes principles, principles become decisions, and decisions become actions.114 Small steps of faith lead to larger steps of faith until walking by faith is almost second nature. And one good decision leads to another good decision until good decisions are almost automatic. Unfortunately, one bad decision also leads to another bad decision until good decisions are almost impossible.

Integrity is something that needs to be maintained. Complacency can enter so easily into a believer’s life. And Satan is patiently waiting there to make the most of that complacency. Therefore, a believer who has been faithfully walking with God for many years still needs to be very careful (Hebrews 2:1). One of the most dangerous times for the believer is when everything is going well for him. He can be lulled into a false sense of security, with the result that he lowers his guard. This is why warfare is good for the believer (Judges 3:1-2). It keeps him sharp and keeps him on track in his decision-making.

Rebound and repentance and also there for the believer who has developed bad habits. He is only one decision away from being reestablished in a perfect relationship with God. Even the most backslidden believer can change his life through one good decision. In fact, God often uses the backslider's condition to cause him to repent115 (Jeremiah 2:19). God often does His greatest work when the believer is in his worst state. The Prodi- gal Son did not change his attitude until his life was a complete mess (Luke 15:15-17). Often this is needed in a believer’s life. Often he needs the “pigpen” experience.

God’s Sovereignty and Man’s Free Will

Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work (John 4:34)

Jesus’s prayer was for the will of His Father. But what is the Father’s will? How will His will come to pass? And how does it impact the free will of the individual believer? God’s will can be broken down into several categories all of which can be applied to the believer’s life. This list is based upon a list given in the Greater Grace Glossary :116

• The perfect will of God: God has a perfect plan for every believer, as well as for all of His creation. This plan includes the right local assembly and the right pastor/teacher. Each part of His plan includes His provision of grace. The details of God’s plan are important. But at a deeper level, God’s perfect plan for the believer is to change him into the image of His Son. This happens through the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, faith, and obedience. • The permissive will of God: Although God has a perfect plan for every believer, He still allows the believer to exercise his own free will. This means that God allows the believer to make decisions that will take him outside of His perfect will. • The overruling will of God: Although God allows the believer to stray from His perfect will, there are times that He will intervene in order to bring the believer back on track or to accomplish His earthly ministry.

114 This line of thought was originally developed by Pastor Carl Stevens 115 The Greek word for “repent” is metanoeo. It means to have a change of mind or a change of heart. It does not mean to change or improve one’s behavior, although improvement will follow 116 Greater Grace Glossary – Niels P. de Jong – Will 131

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• The geographic will of God: This deals with God’s plan for the location of the believer. It includes where he lives, where he works, and where he goes to church. • The operational will of God: This deals with God’s plan for the daily details of the believer’s life. It can include God’s choice for outreach, ministry, etc. But it can also include non-ministerial details, such as employment.

The geographic and operational wills are really specialized examples of the other three wills. Therefore, it is often more convenient to talk in terms of the perfect, permissive, and overruling wills of God.

David was a man who was very sensitive to God’s will for his life. He was constantly asking for God’s guidance and God’s blessing. He asked God if He wanted him to go into battle against his enemies (1 Samuel 23:2; 1 Samuel 30:8; 2 Samuel 5:19). He asked God what he should do in order to deal with Saul’s sin against the Gibeonites (2 Samuel 21:1). And he even asked God if he should go to Judah to be crowned king of Israel (2 Samuel 2:1). David’s acceptance of God’s plan for his life extended even to the point of his losing his life. When he was fleeing from Absalom, he sent the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem, saying “if I shall find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him” (2 Samuel 15:25- 26). This does not mean that David’s life was perfect. He made many mistakes and committed many sins. But his life still stands as one that was in harmony with God’s will.

Balaam was a man who operated in God’s permissive will. He was a prophet and God had a plan for his life. But Balaam had a different plan. Balak, the king of Moab, wanted to Balaam to curse Israel (Numbers 22:6). He was even prepared to pay Balaam for the service (Numbers 22:7). But God would not permit Balaam to curse His people. Nor would he even permit Balaam to go with the Moabites (Numbers 22:12). God’s will was clear. But Balak did not give up asking for Balaam’s help. And Balam did not stop asking for God’s permission. Eventually, God gave permission for Balaam to go (Numbers 22:20). This, however, was not God’s perfect plan and perfect will for Balaam’s life. It was God’s permissive will. Balaam experienced many difficul- ties because of his stubborn refusal to seek God’s will, such as being crushed by his donkey when they en- countered the Angel of the Lord (Numbers 22:22-27). Israel also paid a price for Balaam’s selfishness. Even though Balak could not persuade Balaam to curse Israel, Balaam did spend time with Balak and the Moabites. During this time, Balaam taught Balak “to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication” (Revelation 2:14). Balak could not get Balaam to curse Israel directly, so he managed to do it indirectly. Ultimately, Balaam paid with his life when Moses took vengeance on the Midianites (Numbers 31:8).

Finally, Jonah was a man who experienced God’s overruling will. God called Jonah to preach the Gospel to the Ninevites, but Jonah fled because he wanted nothing to do with them (Jonah 1:2-3). In his flight, Jonah found himself in the midst of a storm (Jonah 1:4), in the sea (Jonah 1:15), in the belly of a giant fish (Jonah 1:17), and ultimately back on dry land (Jonah 2:10). Jonah was fleeing from God’s perfect will. But God inter- vened with His overruling will. The people of Nineveh did repent of their ways, which displeased Jonah (Jo- nah 3:10-4:1). And Jonah’s rebellion even resulted in the repentance of the men on the ship (Jonah 1:16), which shows how God’s will often comes to pass even when man is disobedient.

These three examples highlight clearly highlight the importance of being sensitive and obedient to God’s will. Balaam paid a price for being in God’s permissive will. Often a believer will do the same things that Balaam did. He will persist in asking God’s permission to do something or to go somewhere. When God finally allows that believer to go his own way, the believer might parade around telling people that he has God’s blessing. But while he does have God’s permission, he does not have God’s blessing. There will be consequences. Simi- larly, Jonah paid a price for being in God’s overruling will. He did not pay with his life, but he did not experience the joy of what happened in Nineveh. Believers who do things grudgingly always pay a price. God does not want His people to give “grudgingly, or of necessity.” He wants a “cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). The 132

Biblical Psychology cheerful giver will experience a joy that the unwilling giver will not. Fighting God’s will never frustrates God’s plan, but it does frustrate man’s joy.

The three wills can coexist cyclically. A believer who is living in God’s perfect will for his life can very easily backslide and slip into God’s permissive will. God may permit this for a while. Indeed, this is frequently the place where He does some of His greatest work in the believer’s life. Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days (Jonah 1:17). What do you think God was doing in Jonah’s life during this time? But eventually, God will use chastisement to bring in His overruling will. And the believer, if he is wise, will repent and reenter God’s perfect will.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10)

God’s sovereignty is a great subject. And the teachings on the perfect, the permissive, and the overruling wills of God do introduce the believer some important and practical principles. But when they are taken to the extreme, they can be problematic. In the entire history of the world, only one man can say that He was truly in the perfect will of God. That man, of course, was Jesus Christ. For the rest of us, the subject of God’s perfect will can bring many problems into our lives.

The first problem that a believer can experience is pride. A believer who is convinced that he is in God’s perfect will needs to be very careful. He might be tempted to go around telling people how awesome it is to be in God’s will and how awesome God’s plan is for his life. But there might be an element of pride in this. And pride is never in line with God’s will. If a believer does find himself living in God’s perfect will, he can certainly have no reason to boast. It is almost certainly due to the gracious intervention of God.

The second problem is bondage. A believer who is constantly worried about being in God’s perfect will can find himself getting very frustrated. When it comes to making even the smallest of decisions, he might find himself asking, “Is this God’s perfect will for my life?” The result is that he refuses to make decisions and he makes no progress in his life. His predicament can even deteriorate when another believer comes along and says, “You can do that if that is what you want. But are you sure that it's God’s perfect will for your life?” The implication is that it is not God’s will. The reality is that the believer has a renewed mind. Not only has God given him the ability to think, He has also given him the ability to make decisions. God is not worried about our decisions, so why are we?

The third problem that a believer can experience is to forget, or ignore, that God’s perfect will for man is for him to exercise his free will. Many believers are under the misapprehension that living in God’s perfect will requires one’s own free will to be set aside. They believe that living in God’s perfect will requires them to live like slaves. But God’s perfect will for the believer is liberty. This is a paradox. It seems illogical that God would want man to exercise his liberty. After all, doesn’t God have a plan? Doesn’t He have a call on every believer’s life? Isn’t He worried about sin? To understand this, it is necessary to understand how God intended man to operate in the Garden. Adam could eat “freely” of any tree he desired (Genesis 2:16). This was not

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God’s permissive will. It was His perfect will. And the only stipulation that God had was that Adam should not eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:17). Unfortunately, many believers think that their obedience to God’s perfect will means forsaking personal liberty. Ironically, this belief only ends up taking them to that forbidden tree.

The fourth and final problem that a believer can experience is the apparent conflict between God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. God’s will is absolute. It will come to pass. For many believers, this means that man’s free will is no longer of any importance. They argue that God’s sovereign will basically nullifies man’s free will. Ultimately, they argue that man is not really free. This argument turns man into a robot. It also declares that God is unjust and unloving. After all, if man is not free either to choose or to reject salvation, how can God reasonably cast unbelieving sinners into hell? This issue has been vigorously debated by theologians for centuries, with no meaningful resolution. The Bible teaches both God’s sovereignty and man’s free will. We might not understand how they can coexist. But it is sufficient to know that they are somehow reconciled in God’s infinite mind. As Lewis Sperry Chafer said, “When standing on the border between the finite and the infinite, between time and eternity, between the perfect, irresistible will of God and impotent, perverted will of man, between sovereign grace and hell-deserving sin, who among us is too proud to exclaim, There are some things which I do not understand?”117

On this subject, Norman Geisler wrote :

“God’s sovereignty is a good idea. Properly understood, knowing that an all-good and all-powerful God is in charge of all that happens can lead to a sense of serenity and tranquility

Nonetheless, taken to an extreme, the idea of sovereignty can lead even to self-destruction. Some time ago, I received a letter of appreciation from a woman who read the first edition of this book. She told of being in a church that took the doctrine of sovereignty to the extreme. They reasoned that if God has determined everything, then all is determined, and everything is fixed in advance, then there’s nothing we can do about it. After preaching this philosophy for some time, the pastor became so depressed he committed suicide.”118

This is a very sad and sobering story. God’s will was not for the pastor to kill himself. But taken to the extreme, man’s free will can also pose problems :

“However, like any good thing, the doctrine of free will can be taken too far. One Process Theologi- an119 who stressed human free will to the extreme actually said that even God does not know what we are going to do with our freedom, and that God ‘is waiting with bated breath to see how things are going to turn out’! If God does not know what’s going to happen in the future, then we cannot know there will be a good end to the human story. Surely this can lead to depression.” 120

The following argument is also taken from Norman Geisler121 :

• God is all-knowing. • An all-knowing Being knows everything, including the future.

117 Systematic Theology – Lewis Sperry Chafer – Volume 1, Chapter 15, Divine Decrees 118 Chosen But Free – Norman L. Geisler – Chapter 1, Ideas Do Have Consequences 119 Process Theology is a philosophical and theological position that states that God is changing and growing. This position stands in direct contradiction to the Biblical position that God does not change (Malachi 3:6). It also contradicts the Biblical attributes of God, such as His omniscience, His omnipresence, and His omnipotence 120 Chosen But Free – Norman L. Geisler – Chapter 1, Ideas Do Have Consequences 121 Systematic Theology – Norman L. Geisler – Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 5, Logic : The Rational Precondition 134

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• What an all-knowing Being knows will come to pass – must come to pass (if it did not, than God would have been wrong about what He foreknew. But an all-knowing God cannot be wrong about anything He knows). • God knows all future free acts. • Therefore, these free acts must come to pass. (If they didn’t, then an all-knowing God would have been wrong). • But what must come to pass is determined. • Therefore, our free acts are predetermined by God.

Dr. Geisler went on to say :

“While the logic in this argument is tight, many believe that it proves we aren’t free. This is not the case. What is demonstrates is that God can know for sure (has determined) what we will freely do. So one and the same event is determined from the standpoint of God’s knowledge and free from the van- tage point of our choice. Again, this may be a mystery, but the great mystery of predestination and free will, whatever else it is, is not a logical contradiction.”122

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteous- ness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? (1 Corinthians 9:5 – NKJV)

God’s first two divine institutions are free will and marriage. It is therefore worth investigating God’s will on the subject of marriage. The principles discussed are applicable in other areas of the believer’s life. Marriage is a commonly debated topic when it comes to God’s sovereign will and man’s free will, with proponents on both sides of the debate taking some very extreme positions. But God’s revealed will for marriage is very straightforward.

God is very much in favor of marriage (Genesis 2:18). In God’s plan, marriage is the norm and being single is the exception. Marriage is from God, and the desire to be married is also from God. A young person who has a desire to be married should not feel condemned. Instead, he or she should give the desire to God in prayer and then wait on Him for the answer.

But God has called some people, like the prophet Jeremiah, to remain single (Jeremiah 16:2). Like all areas of God’s call, the call to be single comes with the necessary provision of grace. Paul was called to live as a single man123, but he acknowledged that it was a gift (1 Corinthians 7:7). He also said, “by the grace of God I am what I am” (1 Corinthians 15:10), indicating that his call was made possible only by God’s grace. Jesus said the same thing when answering the disciples’ question about marriage. He said, “All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it” (Matthew 19:11-12). The single life is only for those whom God has called and to whom God has given the necessary gift of grace. Any attempt to live the single life outside of this grace or to force the single life onto other people is legalism and works.

122 Systematic Theology – Norman L. Geisler – Volume 1, Part 1, Chapter 5, Logic : The Rational Precondition 123 It has been suggested by some theologians that Paul, because he was a member of the Sanhedrin, must have been married. While this makes for an interesting discussion, there is no conclusive evidence either for or against this suggestion. But if Paul was married, it might explain why he said that those who are married should live as though they were not (1 Corinthians 7:29) 135

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The choice of a marriage partner is one of the most important decisions that any believer will ever make. In many ways, it is more important than the choice of a local assembly, an outreach, or a mission field. Mistakes in these areas can normally be rectified by going somewhere else. But God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16). Therefore, the marriage decision needs to be a final decision. But when it comes to choosing a spouse, opinions are very diverse as to God’s role in the decision making process.

One extreme portrays God with a list of husbands and their wives. For every man, there is only one possible choice for a wife. And for every woman, there is only one possible choice for a husband. Some very strange, and somewhat legalistic, movements have emerged from this position. Men have even divorced and remarried, claiming that their new wives were God’s original choice for them. While these men are in direct violation of God’s commandment concerning divorce, their actions do not necessarily invalidate their position. God has certainly given some specific instructions concerning a man’s choice for his wife. For example, God told Ho- sea to marry a prostitute, although He did not specifically tell him to marry Gomer (Hosea 1:2-3).

The other extreme portrays God sitting back and allowing men and women to marry whomever they choose. In such cases, the motivation for marriage can be very questionable. Physical attraction between a husband and a wife is important. And it is important for them to get on well together. But lust, personality rapport, and common interests are never a good foundation for marriage. There needs to be something much deeper.

The Bible is not really that specific on the subject of choosing a marriage partner. Paul, for example, said that it is alright to marry a believer, but wrong to marry an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5). Abraham sent his servant to find a wife for his son, Isaac (Genesis 24). And Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, but first had to marry her older sister, Leah (Genesis 29). But where was God in all of this? Maybe that is the important question. Often we ask, “Is this God’s will?,” when we should be saying, “Is God in this?” And often we ask, “Whom should I marry?,” when we should be listening to God when He says, “I want to be in the middle of your marriage.” Maybe that is God’s will for us. Maybe God just wants to be involved in everything we do, just like He was when Adam named the animals (Genesis 2:19).

When it comes to making these decisions and other decisions, God has a provision for every believer. The believer does not have to rely on himself to make the choice. Nor does he have to rely on himself to hear from God. This frees him from a great deal of potential subjectivity. Prayer and study are important, but sometimes the believer needs more objectivity. Every believer is called to a local assembly and a pastor/teacher. The pastor, along with the board of elders, can give the believer a great deal of wisdom and guidance. They can challenge him and make sure that what he is considering is within Biblical guidelines, while still respecting his believer priesthood. But equally important is the Body of Christ. The Body can, and should, give a witness that a relationship is of God. This is why dating should take place within the Body. Relationships that are secretive or “behind closed doors” should set off alarm bells. This does not mean that a courting couple should no spend time alone together. It just means that the relationship should be visible to the Body.

Despite all of the best intentions, people still make mistakes and people still get married outside of the will of God. Such people are now married for life. Does this mean that they will always be outside of God’s will? One pastor was asked how such believers can enter back into God’s will for their lives. He answered, “When they say, ‘I do.’” This might sound somewhat simplistic, but it really makes perfect sense. God has no desire to keep anyone out of His perfect will. He has promised to restore the wasted years (Joel 2:25). God is in the “restoration business.” But at the same time, God hates divorce. Therefore, He must find a way to bring the marriage into His will.

God’s will in marriage cannot really be understood until His purpose in marriage is understood. Why is God pro-marriage? And what does He expect to accomplish? Marriage between a man and a woman is a picture of the marriage between Jesus Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:22-33). This is why God loves marriage and hates divorce. His expectation is that both the husband and the wife would be transformed into the image of

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His Son. No earthly marriage is perfect, and that is what makes them so perfect! Two sinners, whose old sin natures make them incompatible, have to learn to live together. The Cross is the only answer, one for the husband and one for the wife. As Bill Freeman said, “God’s economy in our marriages is to terminate us”124

God is also looking to pour out His grace into the marriage and to glorify Himself. So choosing the perfect partner is nowhere near as important and choosing to receive grace from the perfect God. Human wisdom says that a perfect marriage is a smooth marriage with no problems. Many choose their marriage partners based upon this unrealistic and idealistic concept. Others choose based upon their own selfish desires, looking only for someone that will take care of their needs. But however and whomever a person chooses, God will bring in the Cross. He will bring in circumstances where both the husband and the wife find themselves totally dependent upon His grace. He will bring in circumstances where they both find themselves on their knees before Him, seeking His guidance and His provision. And He will bring in circumstances where He is glorified and His Son is exalted. This is God’s will in marriage.

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (Micah 6:8)

God’s requirements for man really have nothing to do with what man does. They are more related to how he does them. God requires justice, mercy, and humility. These are more related to his character and nature than they are to his behavior. And these can only be found in the character and nature of Jesus Christ. The heart behind the action is more important than the action itself. Amaziah “did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, but not with a perfect heart” (Chronicles 25:1-2). And Jonah finally did what God wanted him to do, but his heart was also not right with God (Jonah 4:1). Job, on the other hand, has a good heart. Despite all of his problems, God still called him “a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil” (Job 1:8; Job 2:3). We do not read much about what Job had done to deserve such an accolade. We only know that he was a great man who lived continually before God (Job 1:5).

God’s will is for man to live from a perfect heart. Every believer has such a heart (Ezekiel 36:26), but many do not live from it. God is not looking for outward obedience. He is not looking for “men-pleasers” or men who serve with “eye service.” He is looking for men who will do “the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6). He is looking for cheerful givers (2 Corinthians 9:7). He is looking for the widow who gave her two mites, not out of her abundance, but out of her need and out of her love (Mark 12:42-44).

God’s will is for man to be thankful (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Paul stressed the need to be thankful for everything, not just for the pleasant things. It is very easy to be thankful when things are going well. But what happens when that starts to change? James told the believer to “count it all joy” when he goes through trials (James 1:2-3). He knew that God had a purpose in those trials. By sight, there might be no reason to be thankful. But God is in control, working behind the scenes.

God’s will is for men to know Him. He wants to teach us. The believer’s obedience does nothing to reveal God’s glory. But God can reveal Himself to the believer when that believer is in his most disobedient and backslidden state. God’s glory is beautifully revealed in the messianic line (Matthew 1:1-16; Luke 3:23-38). Noah was a drunk (Genesis 9:21), Abraham and Isaac were liars (Genesis 20:1-3; Genesis 26:7-11), Jacob was a trickster (Genesis 25:29-34; Genesis 27:1-29), Lot slept with his daughters and fathered the nation of Moab, from where Ruth came (Genesis 19:30-38), Judah chose to sell his Joseph into slavery rather than to simply kill him (Genesis 37:26), Tamar played the harlot with her father-in-law, Judah, resulting in the birth of Perez (Genesis 38:13-29), David was an adulterer (2 Samuel 11), and Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3). Yet God chose these man and women to be the means by which He would bring His Son into the world.

124 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 8, Experiences Of The Cross 137

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God’s will is for the believer to change. God’s desire is for the believer to be “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29). God’s will is the renewing of the believer’s mind (Romans 12:2). And God’s plan is to transform or to change the believer (2 Corinthians 3:18). In the New Testament, the Greek words translated as “transform” are metaschematizo and metamorphoo. Metaschematizo is an external or a superficial change, which is not God’s desire. But metamorphoo is an internal and a deep change, which is what God desires for the believer. In the New Testament, metamorphoo always appears in the passive voice, which means that something else or someone else is the cause of the transformation. Man may be able to change (metaschematizo) his external appearance, but only God can produce a change (metamorphoo) that is deep and lasting.

Transformation is not always easy. It can be quite painful for the believer. God sometimes has to do a lot to cause this to happen. Francois Fenelon said, “You yourself must endure the painful process of change. There is much more at work here than your instant maturity. God wants to build a relationship with you that is based on faith and trust and not on glamorous miracles.”125 He went on to say, “It is like being burned in a slow fire, but you would rather be burned up in a blaze of glory, wouldn’t you? How would that fast burn detach you from yourself?” Samson is a great example of a man that needed a lot of work. He was a gifted man, but he was also a selfish womanizer (Judges 14:1-3). God’s will for Samson was not connected to his call to defend Israel against the Philistines, at least not initially. God’s will for Samson was to change him. Through his rebellious and independent attitude, Samson lost his liberty and his sight (Judges 16:21). As terrible as this was, Samson was transformed into a new man who was now dependent upon others (Judges 16:26) and upon God (Judges 16:28). He was now a man who could be used mightily by God, killing more Philistines in his death than he did in his life (Judges 16:30).

God led His people 40 years in the wilderness in order to humble them and to prove Himself to them (Deuter- onomy 8:2). God’s perfect will was for the Israelites to cross quickly from Egypt, across the Red Sea and the Jordan, and into the Promised Land. God could very easily have led them in this short journey, yet we read that He led them in the wilderness. They had some hard lessons to learn. As it turned out, Joshua and Caleb were the only two who learned these lessons (Numbers 14:30). It is not uncommon for an immature believer to be obsessed with entering the Promised Land, but he is not yet ready. God still has some work to do in him and some lessons to teach him. There is no way of circumventing this. There is no way of circumventing the Cross. If a believer is not ready, then he is not ready. He needs to relax and allow God to take him through the maturity process.

The believer’s journey from salvation to obedience must always pass through maturity. It is a necessary de- tour, like the wilderness. For some the big issue is obedience. But the real issue is maturity. The big question is not whether or not the believer will obey God, but whether or not he will allow God to take him to maturity. Once the believer becomes mature, obedience will follow. And if he chooses not to mature, then his obedience is meaningless.

God’s will is for the believer to trust Him and to trust His plan. Every believer will say that he trusts God, yet just about every believer has areas where this trust is lacking. When Jesus heard that Lazarus was sick, He did not immediately run to his bedside to heal him. Instead, He remained where He was for two days (John 11:6). He was not worried about the situation. He trusted His Father and His Father’s plan.

Trusting God’s plan is an important part of the believer’s life. If this does not happen, the believer will start to thinking that the plan is on his shoulders as opposed to God’s. He will then start to worry about his decisions and about how they will impact the plan. But God does not worry. God trusts His plan so completely that He does not worry, for example, about salvation and evangelism, although He does have a burden for lost souls. He trusts unbelievers to get saved because He trusts His plan. And He trusts believers to reach the lost because

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He trusts His plan. God trusts frail, weak, and fallen men as an integral part of His plan. Yet, His plan still comes to fruition. In fact, God trusts the believer more than the believer trusts God!

If God trusts the believer, then why do church leaders not trust him? Legalism is one of the biggest problems in the Christianity. Insecure leaders often say that they believe in grace, but then they feel that they have to bring in some aspect of the Law into church life. Their argument states that the grace message, preached in its purest form, will lead to sin. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the grace message delivers the believer from the bondage of sin. In a similar fashion, they believe that teaching on liberty will lead to rebellion, independence, and disobedience. They then go on to teach that the believer is free, but that he is free to serve and free to obey. In short, they say that the believer is free to do whatever he is told to do. But true liberty leads to true obedience. True liberty leads to the believer obeying out of love rather than obligation.

God’s will is for fellowship. Making good decisions is important, but a person could make all the “right” decisions and yet not have any fellowship with God. His will is less about what He wants us to do with our lives and more about what He wants to do in our lives. This involves fellowship. Paul’s greatest desire was fellowship with God (Philippians 3:10). But this fellowship led to obedience to God’s leading in his life. This is true for all believers. As we get to know Him in fellowship, we will be more sensitive to His will.

God’s will only really happened in the Garden, before the Fall. The only time that the world has operated according to God’s perfect will is during that short period between Creation and the Fall. After Adam and Eve sinned, the world entered into God’s permissive will. The world has been like this ever since and will remain like that until the end of the Millennial Kingdom.

In those few days of perfection, God’s perfect will could be seen through man’s free will. Man could eat “freely” from any of the trees, except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 2:16-17). This was God’s perfect will, not His permissive will. And Adam had a perfect mind, as was shown when he named the animals (Genesis 2:19-20). During this time, God and Adam had perfect fellowship. This can be seen by the fact that it was God who brought the animals to Adam so that he could name them. God was with Adam as he exercised his perfect mind and his free will in the naming process. But He did not supply the names. Nor did He provide guidelines or restrictions. Such was God’s love and respect for Adam. Instead, He allowed Ad- am to choose. All of this must have given great delight to God. The kind of delight that a grandfather has when, for example, he is painting with his grandchildren. What the child paints is not important. He is free to paint in any way he chooses. But whatever he does paint will bring delight to his grandfather.

One of the most important reasons for man’s free will is that God wanted him to choose salvation. The Fall ultimately happened because Adam exercised his free will and chose to disobey God’s only commandment. While it was not God’s will for Adam to eat the forbidden fruit, it was His is will for Adam to exercise his free will. In a similar fashion, God wants man to decide for himself whether or not he will allow himself to be loved by God. Some will choose to reject Christ. But it is still their choice. And it is a choice that a loving God will honor and respect. But those who choose to accept God’s free gift of salvation will be welcomed with open arms by the same loving God. Many reject this argument, stating that a loving God would never send a person to Hell. But at the heart of their rejection are a rejection and a hatred toward God. C.S. Lewis put it very clearly when he said, “There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it.”126

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God’s sovereign will and man’s free do coexist. They could be thought of as two rails on a railway track that run parallel to each other, but which meet at infinity. We may have a problem, but “The seeming conflict of ideas evidently has no reality or existence in the mind of God.”127 This is good, because it frees the believer from a great deal of bondage in his life. The believer who is obsessed with God’s perfect will for his life will almost certainly find himself operating outside of that perfect will. He will almost certainly find himself living a carnal and miserable existence, even if his life is not outwardly sinful. But the believer who is obsessed with God will not be stressed out about His will. After all, what is the worst thing that can happen if he goes on the wrong outreach or goes to the wrong mission field? People will get saved! God’s plan is perfect and His will is going to come to pass. This will not happen because man has submitted his free will to God’s sovereign will. Instead, it will happen because God is a perfect, sovereign God who has a perfect plan.

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Chapter 12 The Human Spirit

Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak (Mark 14:38)

The human spirit is at the very center of the believer’s being. In the Tabernacle, it was represented by the Holy of Holies. This was the most pure, holy, and sacred place in the Tabernacle. It was also the place where the Ark of the Covenant was located, speaking of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God. The human spirit is where the believer meets God. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). It is where the Holy Spirit and the believer interact. This interaction is so close and so interwoven that the human spirit cannot even function without the presence of the Holy Spirit. The Ark of the Covenant was the only item in the Holy of Holies. Without it, the Holy of Holies was just an empty room. Similarly, without the Holy Spirit, the human spirit is just an empty, lifeless void.

The Bible, especially the New Testament, talks a great deal about demon possession (Matthew 4:24; Luke 22:3; Acts 8:7). It is quite possible that this possession occurs in the human spirit. This is important because it explains why it is impossible for the believer to be possessed by demons (although it is still possible for him to be influenced by them). The Ark of the Covenant ensured that nothing unclean could enter into the Holy of Holies and survive. Similarly, the Holy Spirit ensures that nothing unclean can enter the human spirit. Demons would certainly qualify as unclean, which is one reason why they have to depart at the name and the presence of Jesus Christ (Matthew 8:28-32; Acts 16:18). Fortunately, because of Eternal Security, the Holy Spirit can never depart from the believer’s human spirit. Therefore, the believer can never be possessed by demons. This is true even for carnal believers who choose never to operate in the human spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the source of life. This life enters the believer through his human spirit. When God breathed the “breath of life” into Adam’s nostrils, he became a “living soul” (Genesis 2:7). The Hebrew translated as “breath of life” can also be translated as “spirit of life.” Adam’s life came from the Holy Spirit when God gave him a human spirit. After the fall, God broke fellowship with Adam and the Holy Spirit left him. As a result, his human spirit had no source of divine life and it died. This is the state of all unbelievers. There is a difference of opinion between theologians as to whether or not the unbeliever has a human spirit. Some say that he doesn’t. Others say that he does, but that it is dead. Either way, it is clear that unbelievers do not have a human spirit that is alive to God.

The human spirit is possibly the most important part of man’s being. The believer’s life is very much enriched and enlivened by knowing about his human spirit, provided that this knowledge leads to a spiritual life. The human spirit is vital when it comes to his relationship with God, the control of his life, and his victory over Satan. Therefore, a thorough study of the human spirit is warranted.

The human spirit has three functions. These functions are communion, conscience, and intuition. This was echoed by Jesus Christ when He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The way speaks of communion, the truth speaks of conscience, and the life speaks of intuition.

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Functions of the Spirit

And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread (Luke 24:35)

The first function of the human spirit is communion. Communion is more than simply breaking bread and ob- serving the Lord’s Supper, although these certainly are part of it. In the Greek language, communion, or fellowship, means to share something or to have something in common.

The human spirit is where the believer meets God, just as it was with the Holy of Holies. It is where he has communion or fellowship with God. And it is where he gets to know God. Paul said, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God” (1 Corinthians 2:11). There is no other place where God and man can meet. There is no other place where fellowship can take place. And there is no other place where man can get to know God.

Jesus Christ is the “way” (John 14:6). This speaks of communion. The disciples on the way to Emmaus had communion with Him and knew Him “in the way” (Luke 24:35). Communion with God is not a stationary activity. It is a journey or a walk. Enoch and Noah “walked with God” (Genesis 5:22; Genesis 6:9). In the same way, God also expects every believer to walk with Him. How else can the believer get to know Him? When Jesus “expounded unto [the two disciples] in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27), they were all walking. And while there were many times that Jesus sat down to teach His disciples, He was still always on the move.

God’s provision of manna was to be a daily affair, with the exception of the Sabbath (Exodus 16:19; Exodus 16:23). The manna was also to be a provision for their journey in the wilderness. God expects every believer to have a daily walk and a daily communion with Him. This started in the garden where God walked in the “cool of the day” (Genesis 3:8).

Ultimately, communion or fellowship is about a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ. It is a about walking with Him. It is about sharing His life, His character, and His nature. This is where the believer changes. He is conformed into the image of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29) because he spends time with Him.

I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, (Romans 9:1)

The second function of the human spirit is conscience. In the chapter on “The Conscience,” the differences between the moral conscience (in the soul) and the spiritual conscience (in the human spirit) were discussed. The moral conscience deals with right and wrong, or good and evil. But the spiritual conscience deals with what is of God and what is of man. The conscience referred to in this portion is the spiritual conscience.

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The spiritual conscience discerns between what is of God and what is of man. It discerns between the spirit and the flesh. It is very sensitive. When a believer is walking in the flesh, the spiritual conscience finds itself empty of spiritual life. Walking in the flesh is sin, even if the believer’s behavior is good. Sin in the believer always results in broken fellowship with the source of spiritual life, because a holy God cannot fellowship with sin. Therefore, sin always produces death in the believer’s experience.

Jesus Christ is the “truth” (John 14:6). This speaks of conscience. The human spirit is the only part of man that can truly know and understand God’s Law. But it does not know the Law as dead words on cold tablets of stone. Instead, it knows them as spiritual truth. Because it knows God, it also knows the mind and the heart behind God’s Law. Therefore, the spiritual conscience is much more sensitive that the moral conscience. It is motivated by love and spiritual convictions, rather than a set of rules.

The spiritual conscience is also a lot narrower and a lot more restrictive than the moral conscience. For example, the Law prohibits murder and adultery (Exodus 20:13-14). However, Jesus raised the standard when He said that anger was the same as murder and that lust was the same as adultery (Matthew 5:21-22; Matthew 5:27-28). Jesus was effectively talking about the spiritual conscience. He was talking about a standard that was much tighter that the Law. This is because murder and adultery are on the outside, but anger and lust are on the inside. He said, “Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness” (Luke 11:39) and, “Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man” (Matthew 15:11). He was saying that the moral conscience can easily be placated by good works and behavior modification, but that the spiritual conscience can only be placated by a new heart. He was saying that spiritual conscience is much more important than the moral conscience.

Walking according to the spiritual conscience is the only healthy way for the believer to live. If he lives by the moral conscience, the result is always death. But the spiritual conscience brings life. This is because the spiritual conscience is not there to correct the believer and his behavior. Instead, it is there to bring him back into fellowship with God. It is there to bring him back into fellowship with the source of spiritual life.

But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things (1 John 2:20)

The third function of the human spirit is intuition. Intuition is the ability to know something without a rational explanation.128 A person intuitively knows because he knows. He can give no other explanation.

People in the world often talk of intuition. Some claim to have a “sixth sense.” While others claim to have premonitions. They claim to see things before they happen. In some cases, this might be legitimate. God may reveal things to people before they happen. But in other cases, there are an evil spirits at work. Psychics are more than entertainment. They are not harmless. They are from the devil, as are crystal balls, tarot cards, Ouija boards, séances, etc. King Saul’s encounter with the “familiar spirit at Endor” (1 Samuel 28:7-25) was really an encounter with the kingdom of darkness. Therefore, Christians should have nothing to do with these things.

128 Webster’s dictionary defines “intuition” as follows : The power or faculty of attaining to direct knowledge or cognition without evident rational thought and inference 143

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It is important to understand that Satan has a counterfeit for intuition. The world’s view of intuition and psychics are just two of them. The third counterfeit is the flesh. People often hear what they want to hear, claiming that they are hearing from God. But it is just the flesh, often working through the emotions.

Jesus Christ is the “life” (John 14:6). This speaks of intuition. Intuition is based upon receiving spiritual life, or zoe life. Aaron’s Rod budded (Hebrews 9:4), speaking of resurrection life. God’s leading is always accompa- nied by God’s life. God’s leading can, and should, be tested (1 John 4:1). Spiritual life is one of the tests. Sa- tan’s counterfeit intuition brings death, but the Holy Spirit’s intuition brings life. A believer who is looking for God’s leading for a specific outreach, for example, should try several different ones. And he should keep trying until he finds life.

A plant is always seeking life. Beneath the ground, its roots spread out, looking for water. If the ground is dry, the roots have to go out further. Above ground, its shoots are always reaching out towards the sun. Both water and the sun are sources of life for a plant. In a similar fashion, the believer should always be seeking God’s life. This is how he will find God’s leading.

Intuition also brings peace. God’s voice is quiet. It is a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12). It is a voice which brings peace. A person who is going against God’s leading will not experience that peace. As Watchman Nee said, “in the deepest part of our being, there is something unspeakable, silent, heavy, pressing, and lurking which fights against our mind’s thoughts, our emotion’s desires, and our will’s determinations.”129 Even if what we desire to do is good, maybe even spiritual, if it is not God’s leading then there will be no peace.

Intuition brings spiritual knowledge, even if the mind does not understand it. Often a believer will know God’s leading, but he will now know why. There will be no logical reason for God’s leading. His human spirit knows because it is inextricably linked with the Holy Spirit. But the mind still needs to be enlightened. As he trusts God and goes by faith, he will eventually understand. He will eventually say, “I get it.”

Great care must be taken with respect to intuition. While the Holy Spirit is not subjective, it is very possible for the believer to experience subjectivity. Therefore, the believer needs a source of objectivity in his life. The greatest source of objectivity is the Word of God. God’s leading never goes contrary to His character and nature. Therefore, the intuition should always be checked and verified against the objective truth contained in God’s Word. The local assembly and the pastor/teacher are other great sources of objectivity. The wisdom of the pastor and of mature church members will check the potential for a subjective intuition.

It is also possible that God’s leading will take the believer beyond the realm of reason. By sight, God’s leading might not make sense. But the believer is called to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7).

The Spirit And The Soul

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do (Hebrews 4:12-13)

Under the Old Testament sacrificial system, the priests would cut up the animal to be sacrificed. The priests were skilled and their knives were sharp, so separating the “joints and marrow” was a relatively straightforward. As part of this process, the animal was laid wide open so that nothing was hidden and so that the priest could see what he was doing. God’s desire for the believer is very similar to this, except that the believer is a “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1). God lays us on the altar and gets to work on us. Nothing is hidden from Him

129 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 5, Chapter 1, The Intuition 144

Biblical Psychology as He lays us on the “spiritual operating table” and executes His great desire in our lives. That desire is to separate the soul from the human spirit and to deal with problems in the soul.

Man’s soul was designed to be subject to his human spirit, both as a power source and as a source of God’s nature. The human spirit was to influence the soul, while the soul was to the organ through which the human spirit would reveal itself. However, this is not always the case. Frequently, the believer will operate in the power of his soul. Often such “soulish” believers do not realize what they are doing. They say all the right words and do all the right things, but they are still operating in the power of their own souls.

The mind, the emotions, and the will are the three dominant portions of the soul. The human spirit can, and should, express itself though each of these. But each of these can also exert itself and exalt itself above the rightful dominance of the human spirit, while often appearing spiritual.

Most people recognize that emotionalism is a problem. While some ministries almost demand emotionalism as a sign of spirituality, most ministries see it as a problem that needs to be dealt with. That does not mean that the emotions are a bad thing. After all, Jesus did weep at the death of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35) and for the city of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41). Believers should weep for loved ones and for the lost, especially if the sorrow is sourced in the human spirit. But we should also be wary of sentimentality.

Intellectualism is harder to spot than emotionalism. It can appear very spiritual, especially in the area of Bible teaching. After all, who doesn’t like to hear precise, well-researched, and well-delivered messages? But what about the anointing? Is God in the message? A brilliant message means nothing without the anointing. The ability to quote copious amounts of Scripture, including the Greek and the Hebrew, means nothing without the Holy Spirit. It is the anointing of the Holy Spirit through the human spirit that lifts up the person of Jesus Christ (John 15:26). So after a message has been delivered, a simple question needs to be asked. Who was lifted up in this message? Was it Jesus Christ? Or, was it the preacher?

Finally, the hardest soulish trait to spot is will power. For many, a strong will is the sign of a strong leader. But a leader should not use a strong will in order to persuade people. Nor should a person with a forceful personality use that personality to influence others. This is not how God works. God prefers to persuade people and influence people through the Holy Spirit. This is why leaders with a soft touch, but a strong anointing, have such great success.

Man is an “earthen vessel” (2 Corinthians 4:7). And inside of this vessel is a great treasure. Jesus Christ is inside of every believer. And He is trying to shine. But He is stuck in this earthen vessel. When the believer concentrates on the soul life, Christ cannot be revealed. Therefore, He wants to smash that vessel so that He can come out. He wants to destroy the soul life so that He can be revealed in the life of the human spirit.

The human spirit is very sensitive. And the spiritual man is also very sensitive. Soulish people and soulish behavior can be repulsive to the spiritual man. On this subject, Watchman Nee wrote :

“After the dividing of the spirit and soul, the intuition of the spirit will be very sensitive. Whenever the soul acts, it immediately suffers pain and resists. Even when others act in their soul, it immediately feels unpleasant. Even when it is the object of the soulish love or emotion of others, it will be annoyed as if it cannot bear with them. Only when the dividing of the believer's spirit and soul becomes very real will he have clean feelings and intentions that are genuine.”130

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And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James (Mark 5:37)

Peter, James, and John were all believers. But they were also all different. They had different personalities. Man’s personality is a product of the soul. While every person is unique, there are four generally recognized personality types. These are sanguine, choleric, melancholic, and phlegmatic.131 People can generally be placed into one of these types, although it is quite normal for most people to be a mixture of two of these types. Tim LaHaye has done a great job of bringing them into the 20th century and looking at them from a Bib- lical perspective.132 The following list is a summary of some of his findings and opinions133 on this topic :

• Sanguine. The sanguine is lively, warm, buoyant, and fun-loving. He is never at a loss for words. He is a social person and an encouraging person. Peter was a sanguine. • Choleric. The choleric is active, hot, quick, practical, decisive, opinionated, independent, and strong- willed. He is not a particularly emotional person. But he is a visionary. Paul was a choleric. • Melancholic. The melancholic is analytical, self-sacrificing, gifted, faithful, and emotionally sensitive. He is a perfectionist and tends to have a higher IQ than most. He has a dark side and can be susceptible to mood swings. But he can also be a very deep and rich person. Moses was a melancholic. • Phlegmatic. The phlegmatic is slow, cool, calm, easy-going, well-balanced, competent, and efficient. He has a dry sense of humor and prefers to be a spectator rather than a participant. He often makes a good leader, even though he is reluctant to do so. Abraham was a phlegmatic.

Personality types can be very dangerous in the Church. Cliques can easily develop, with people choosing to associate with others with similar or compatible personality types. Leaders have to be especially careful in this area. A leader who leads in his personality can cause a lot of problems. For example, the sanguine is generally a talkative person. But that does not necessarily mean that he should always be talking. Ultimately, personality types can be divisive to the Body of Christ. They can be used by God, but they must first be taken to the Cross. This is where the four temperaments of the soul are replaced by the nine temperaments of the spirit – love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (Galatians 5:22-23).

The Spirit of Grace and the Letter of the Law

Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life (2 Corinthians 3:6)

God has dealt with our sins, our old sin nature, and the Law. Most believers accept and understand the God has dealt with the first two of these items. But many still believe that God expects them to keep the Law. While they do not think of the Law in terms of salvation, they still believe that keeping the Law will bring pleasure to God. Others believe that keeping the Law is a good way to thank Him for all that He has done for them. It is their way of saying, “Thank You, God.” And a final group think that the Law simply provides a good way for the believer to live and that he should, therefore, strive to live his life according to the Law. All of these ideas sound quite reasonable, at least to the natural mind. But is this what God requires?

The problem is that the Law produces the wrong results in the believer. This problem has nothing to do with the Law itself. The Law is good (Romans 7:12; Romans 7:26). The problem is that the believer is not good. As Watchman Nee said, “No, there is nothing wrong with the Law, but there is something decidedly wrong with

131 The personality types were developed in around 400 BC by Hippocrates, a Greek physician and philosopher. They were based upon the four predominant liquids present in the human body – blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm. While this scientific basis is totally erroneous, the personality types can still prove to be useful 132 Spirit-Controlled Temperament – Tim LaHaye – Chapter 3, Meet the Four Basic Temperaments 133 The author does not necessarily agree with all of Mr. LaHaye’s conclusions, especially those concerning the personality type of the four Biblical characters 146

Biblical Psychology me.”134 The problem for the believer is that when he tries to keep the Law, he ends up re-establishing the effects of the Fall in his life.

When Adam disobeyed God and ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, three things happened. First, he placed himself under the Law. He chose to live his life based upon the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 3:6), rather than the life of the leading of the human spirit. Second, sin and death entered his life (Romans 5:12). His human spirit died and was replaced by his old sin nature. And third, he committed sins. The fruit of the old sin nature is always sins (Mark7 7:21-23).

Jesus Christ took care of all of these at Calvary. His blood dealt with the penalty for sins (Romans 1:1-5:11). God’s righteous indignation was satisfied by the shedding of Christ’s blood. His death dealt with the old sin nature (Romans 5:12-6:23). Adam’s old sin nature died with Him. And the co-crucifixion of the believer with Jesus Christ dealt with the power and the authority of the Law (Romans 7).

Despite all of this, there are many who believe that they are still under obligation to do something for God. They do not truly believe in the Finished Work. Many believe that they still have to make some kind of payment for their sins. The result is guilt, fear, and shame. Many believe that the old sin nature still has power over them. The result is a lack of victory over their sins. And many believe that they are under obligation to keep the Law. The result is a revived old sin nature and an inability to stop sinning.

The preceding portion provides a very brief overview of some of the aspects of the Finished Work. It is not intended to provide an in-depth analysis of what Jesus Christ did on the Cross. It should, however, explain how trying to keep the Law can be so disastrous in the believer’s life. Unfortunately, legalism is very common in churches. It can even find its way into ministries that preach the Finished Work.

Legalism is curse and those who promote it are very subtle. They use guilt, fear, and shame in order to manipulate and control people. They might not teach legalism in a direct manner, but they have many backdoors by which to bring people under bondage. These backdoors do nothing but sap the life out of the believer.

For I was alive without the law once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died (Romans 7:9)

The Law can be deceptive. More specifically, those who use the Law to manipulate can be deceptive. The Ga- latian churches were “bewitched” into believing that they had an obligation to keep the Law (Galatians 3:1-3). Paul did not pull any punches, calling them “foolish.” It is quite possible that nothing angered Paul more than legalism. As a devout Jew, he would have been adept at keeping the Law. But he learned that the Law could not make a man perfect (Hebrews 7:19).

134 The Normal Christian Life – Watchman Nee – Chapter 9, The Meaning and Value of Romans 7 147

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What, then, is the purpose of the Law? If man cannot keep the Law, then why would God have given it to him? Paul answered these questions when he said that the Law was given so that sin “might become exceeding sinful” (Romans 7:13), so that “the offence might abound” (Romans 5:20), and so that “every mouth may be stopped” (Romans 3:19). He went on to say, “the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24). The Law cannot stop a man from sinning. It is powerless in the natural man (Romans 8:3). But it can reveal to him what a sinner he is, shut him up, and take him to the place where he realizes that he needs Christ. As Watchman Nee said, “When a holy law is applied to a sinful man, then it is that his sinfulness comes out in full display.”135 This is the purpose of the Law.

Not only is keeping the Law not possible for the believer, it is actually counter-productive. Legalism has the opposite effect from that which is desired. Rather than improve behavior, it actually makes the believer’s behavior deteriorate. This is why Paul said, “when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died” (Romans 7:8-11). Keeping the Law actually brings the old sin nature back to life, with the result that believer starts to commit sins. This is why Paul could say, “the strength of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56).

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid (Romans 6:14-15)

Watchman Nee said, “If we are not fully emancipated from the Law, we can never fully know full emancipa- tion from sin.”136 If the believer is not supposed to live by the Law, what are his alternatives? The answer is grace and truth (John 1:17). Man was designed to live by grace and truth. He was never supposed to live by the Law. The Law no longer has any authority in the believer’s life. This authority has reverted back to its rightful owner, Jesus Christ. The believer is now under a new form of government. He is under the government of grace and truth. This government holds the believer accountable to a higher standard than the Law did. It holds him accountable to the perfect standard of truth. But it also provides the believer with the ability to meet that standard. It provides him with the necessary provision of grace.

This does not mean that grace and truth give the believer a free-pass and an easy ride. There are consequences for the believer’s actions. Paul said, “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12). The Greek word translated as “teach” is also translated as “chastise.” Further- more, Paul uses it when he talks of Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom he “delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Timothy 1:20). God’s government of grace and truth has a sharp edge to it. After all, who wants to go to Satan’s “House of Correction?”

Finally, the operation of God’s government of grace and truth might seem to some to be very similar to the Law. But, as the following table shows, there are many important differences :

The Law Grace and Truth Brings condemnation Brings conviction Strengthens the flesh Causes the flesh to squirm Is dead letters Is the living Word Attempts to correct people Restores fellowship with God Brings death Brings life

135 The Normal Christian Life – Watchman Nee – Chapter 9, The Meaning and Value of Romans 7 136 The Normal Christian Life – Watchman Nee – Chapter 9, The Meaning and Value of Romans 7 148

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Characteristics of the Spiritual Life

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:23)

The spiritual life is all-encompassing and totally fulfilling. God wants to be involved in every aspect of the believer’s life. He wants every part of the believer’s being to be involved with Him. And He wants the believer’s Christianity to involve his human spirit, his soul, and his body. Unfortunately, a great many believers do not think this way. For them, their Christianity is limited to a weekend church service and maybe the occasional Bible study. They have lives that are separated into compartments, some for God but most of them for themselves. They compartmentalize everything, especially their time and their money. But most alarmingly, they compartmentalize the earthly from the heavenly, the temporal from the eternal, and the physical from the spiritual.

God has a different plan for the believer. He does not want there to be any compartments in the believer’s life. He does not want the believer to give the immaterial things to Him while keeping the material things for himself. This is because Jesus Christ is both material and immaterial. He is both physical and spiritual. He is both man and God. This great truth about Jesus has been attacked since God revealed it 2,000 years ago. Many religions, including some so-called Christian sects,137 repeatedly deny the deity of Christ, while groups like the Gnostics deny His humanity. Other religions, such as Hinduism, actually believe that the material world is evil. Therefore, many choose to turn their back on the material world, believing that spirituality is restricted to the immaterial world. Unfortunately, such philosophies can also find their way into Christianity.

God wants us to occupy the whole house. God does not want the first floor to be reserved for the believer and the second floor to be reserved for God. This can only happen in the Body of Christ with Christ as the Head. Both are a union of the material and the immaterial. Jesus Christ is both man and God. And the Body of Christ is a mystical union of physical persons in a spiritual reality. This is what happens when the separation between the material and the immaterial is removed. This is what happens when the “floor” separating the two levels is removed. And this is what happens then the “middle wall of partition” is broken (Ephesians 2:14). God and man can finally live and fellowship together. This is what God wants. He wants His Son leave the confines of man’s immaterial being and occupy his material part also. As Bill Freeman said, “Jesus is not happy being confined to our spirit. He wants to spread out into our whole being.”138

137 Groups like the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Mormons claim to be Christians. But their refusal to accept the deity of Christ, as well as other cardinal doctrines, proves that they are not 138 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 12, Inwardly Applying The Cross 149

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… be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)

The spiritual life requires the filling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the One who makes the spiritual life possible. He is the power behind the spiritual life. Some ministries erroneously teach that the filling of the Ho- ly Spirit is something that has to be earned or that it is something that is reserved for only a few, select believers. But this is definitely not the case, which is why Paul could command all believers to be Spirit-filled. It is also why Tozer said, “You don’t have to persuade God at all. There is no persuasion necessary. Dr. Simpson used to say, ‘Being filled with the Spirit is as easy as breathing; you can simply breathe out and breathe in.’”139

In the original Greek, the command to be filled is a continuous activity. The believer cannot say that he was filled with the Holy Spirit ten years ago and that therefore he does not need to be filled today. Breathing is a continual activity. A person who stops breathing will die. Similarly, a believer who stops breathing in the Holy Spirit will die spiritually. The human spirit needs a continual filling from the Holy Spirit, in the same way that the human body needs a continually flow of air.

Finally, the filling of the Holy Spirit is not an emotional experience, although it certainly should produce joy in the believer. Instead, it is an impartation of God’s life to the believer. It is an impartation of the same life that Christ exhibited during his thirty three years on earth. God’s life becomes the power source in the believer’s life. Therefore, a Spirit-filled believer will manifest many of the same characteristics that Christ did. He will have the same peace, the same love, the same joy, etc.

Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: (1 Peter 1:22)

The spiritual life is based upon truth. In his final address to Israel, Samuel told them to “serve him in truth with all your heart” (1 Samuel 12:24). Truth is important in the believer’s life. It gives him something to hold on to. It is an anchor for his soul (Hebrews 6:19). When everything else around him fails, he can still rely on truth.

God showed Amos a plumb line (Amos 7:7-8). The plumb line speaks of absolute, inerrant, consistent truth. A plumb line cannot lie. It always gives an absolute vertical line. It does not matter where a person is on this earth. It does not matter what country he is in or what altitude he is at. Even if a person is in a crooked building, the plumb line still gives a perfect vertical line. The same is true for God’s truth. It is always correct, no matter what the circumstances.

139 A. W. Tozer – How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit – Chapter 3, How to Be Filled with the Holy Spirit 150

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There is a house in England where everything is crooked. Every room, every wall, and every floor is crooked. In one room, there is a grandfather clock. To the casual observer in that room, the clock appears to leaning away from the vertical. It appears to be crooked. But the pendulum swings perfectly, indicating that the clock is straight and that everything in the room is crooked. The reality is that everything in the room is crooked, except for the clock. A plumb line would confirm this. The casual observer would subjectively think that he was straight and that everything else was crooked. But the precise, clinical objectivity of the plumb line would tell him that he was, in fact, crooked.

This is how the believer can be without God’s absolute truth. He might start to believe that he is better that everyone else and that he is good enough for God. He might start to evaluate his life by his surroundings. He might start to get subjective. But the precise, clinical objectivity of God’s truth can set him straight. It can point out to him that he is wrong and that he needs help. This is why it is so important for the believer to live by truth.

Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught (Luke 5:4)

The spiritual life is inherently unstable, at least by sight. It is unpredictable, on the edge, and out of the box. In the Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis demonstrated his understanding of this when he wrote :

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King. I tell you.”140

Mr. Beaver said this in response to a question about Aslan, who symbolizes Jesus Christ in the books. Jesus Christ is not safe, at least by sight, but He is good.

Most aircraft are aerodynamically stable.141 This is how they are able to fly. If the pilot releases the controls, the aircraft will return to a straight and level flight path. The aircraft will also correct itself when it encounters disturbance in the air, such as turbulence. Unfortunately the inherent stability acts against the pilot’s attempts to control the aircraft, reducing the aircraft’s maneuverability. This is a real problem with modern jet fighters, where maneuverability is vital. And it is why many modern jet fighters are not aerodynamically stable. The YF-16 was the world’s first intentionally unstable aircraft. This instability reduced the aircraft’s tendency to fight against the pilot and increased its maneuverability. However, this increase in maneuverability meant that the aircraft could only be flown with the help of a computer system. Even the quickest and most responsive of pilots could not possibly respond fast enough to keep the aircraft in the air. The deliberate instability of the YF-16 produced a more maneuverable aircraft, but also one which the pilot could not hope to fly without help from another source.

The YF-16 provides an interesting analogy with the spiritual life. The believer’s life is unstable, at least by sight. But it is also more maneuverable. The believer can do so much more because his life is unstable. But he cannot do it on his own. He needs the help of the Holy Spirit. The believer who rejects this in favor of a stable Christian life is relegating himself to a boring life. He is relegating himself to a life where nothing happens and where he is unable to do anything. He is like the boat that stays in the harbor. He is safe, but he will never go anywhere. He needs to leave the harbor and “launch himself out into the deep.” It is less stable and more dangerous out there. But Jesus Christ is out there to help him. Only when he does this, will his life bear fruit.

140 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – C. S. Lewis – Chapter 8, What Happened After Dinner 141 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth-generation_jet_fighter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Dynamics_F-16_Fighting_Falcon 151

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But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8)

The spiritual life has power. In the Greek New Testament, there are several words that are translated as “power.” The most important of these are dunamis and exousia, both of which are given to the believer (Luke 9:1). Dunamis means capacity or ability. It comes from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, dunamis generally refers to military power. While in the New Testament, it generally refers to God’s power. Dunamis was used to describe the miracles and “might works” both of Jesus Christ and of the Apostles (Matthew 11:21-24; Mark 6:2; Luke 19:37; Acts 6:8; Acts 19:11).

God’s dunamis power is still given to every believer at the time of salvation. The believer still has dunamis power over his three-fold enemies – the world, the flesh, and the devil. Paul used dunamis a great deal in his epistles. This is of particular importance to the believer because this is power that can be applied in his life. For example, he said that preaching and faith were sourced in God’s dunamis power and not in man’s wisdom (1 Corinthians 2:4-5). He went on to say, “we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power (dunamis) of God toward you” (2 Corinthians 13:4). Finally, he said that God is “able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power (dunamis) that worketh in us” (Ephesians 3:20).

Dunamis power is a gift from God and that this gift can be used only in God’s nature. When Simon the Sorcer- er sought to purchase this power for his own personal use, Peter said to him, “Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money” (Acts 8:18-20).

Exousia means to have the authority or the right (Luke 9:1). Strictly speaking, exousia does not come from the Holy Spirit. Dunamis comes with the anointing and exousia comes with being sent. However, dunamis and exousia are frequently mentioned together in the New Testament. Furthermore, ability and authority go hand in hand. You cannot have one without the other. God’s good pleasure consists of both a “will” and a “do” (Phi- lippians 2:13). The “will” is the exousia and the “do” is the dunamis. In the Greek translation of the Old Tes- tament, exousia generally refers to kingdoms of dominions. Exousia brings with it a position or an office.

God has given the believer authority in this world. But the believer must use this authority careful. He must not use it to hurt others. Paul warned the Corinthians to “take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). The Greek word translated as “liberty” is exousia. This is the only place in the New Testament where exousia is translated this way. While it is clear that Paul is talking about Christian liberty, he is making a strong case against the abuse of authority. Such abuse can render great damage to the Church.

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:5-8)

The spiritual life is characterized by godly wisdom and discernment. James talks of two forms of wisdom. The first form of wisdom is the wisdom from below. It is the wisdom of the world, the flesh, and the devil (James 3:13-16). Such wisdom, or human reasoning, is often associated with a superior intelligence. But it lacks spiritual discernment. The results are instability, uncertainty, envy, frustration, and doubt. People who live by this form of wisdom are often double-minded and have problems making decisions.

The Greek word translated above as “doubt” is diakrino, which can also be translated as “analyze.” Analysis is a big problem for a double-minded person. When presented with a choice, he sees the pros and cons in all of the options. But he does not sense God in any of them. His problem goes all the way back to the Garden of

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Eden. If a person is having problems making decision, it might be that he is operating from his soul and eating at the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The second form of wisdom is the wisdom from above. It is the wisdom of God (James 3:17-18). It is the spiritual application of doctrine. Such wisdom is associated with spiritual discernment. The results are stability, certainty, purity, peace, gentleness, obedience, mercy, integrity, sincerity, and faith. People who live by this form of wisdom are single-eyed (Luke 11:34) and live fruitful lives. They are good decision makers because they discern the presence and the leading of God.

Godly wisdom and spiritual discernment go hand in hand. When Jesus healed the man who was born blind, His disciples asked Him, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). They were operating in the wisdom from below. They were double-minded. Jesus responded, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (John 9:3). The disciples were looking for the guilty party, while Jesus was only interested in the works of His Father.

Godly wisdom and spiritual discernment do not see God’s Word as a set of rules, but as a source of life. Paul said, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God” (2 Timothy 3:16). The word translated as “inspiration” is theopneostos, which literally means “God breathed.” This word is used nowhere else in the Bible. It cannot be found in any other Greek writings either. Paul created it because no word existed that could adequately describe the Bible. Because of this, some Greek scholars believe that we cannot be totally sure of its structure and that it could also be translated as “God breathing.” When Paul wrote his epistles, God breathed the words onto the page. Two thousand years later, God breathes out those same words to us. God is breathing a spirit of life into us. When the Apostles wrote the New Testament, they were putting life into it. And when we read the Bible, we receive that life.

Godly wisdom and spiritual discernment look beyond the argument of good and evil. They find life. It is a beautiful thing to see believers who seek God and discern God in everything. When they experience a tragedy, such as the loss of a loved one, they respond with worship and praise. When they lose a job, they see it as an opportunity for God to teach them something. When someone offends them, they see it as an opportunity to grow. And when they see the world deteriorating around them, they see God’s providential hand. They realize that everything that happens for a purpose. Discerning God’s hand in the details of life, whether big or small, is the sign of true wisdom. It is where God’s life can be found in abundance.

But now are they many members, yet but one body (1 Corinthians 12:20)

The spiritual life is characterized by unity and diversity. To the natural mind, these two things can seem con- tradictory. But the natural mind cannot understand the spiritual life. The problem is that the world thinks in terms of conformity and division. Paul warns us not to be “conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) and warns us that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:14). The Greek words translated as “conformed” and “transformed” are suschematizo and metaschematizo respectively.142 They both talk about an external change. They affect the body and the soul, but they have nothing to do with the human spirit.

Conformity is not the same as unity. It is purely an external and soulish activity. Often, when a person wants to do something different, they are accused of being divisive. They are told, “You are not one with us,” and, “That is not the way we do things around here.” But Jesus did a great many diverse things. And He did similar things in many diverse ways. For example, He did not have a standard formula for healing blind people. In one case, He used mud (John 9:6), while in the other cases He did not (Matthew 10:51-52). Jesus wanted to demonstrate that the Person behind the method was more important than the method itself. The use of mud

142 To avoid confusion, it should be pointed out that the Greek word translated as “conformed” in Romans 8:29 is summorphos, which speaks of an internal change caused by God 153

Biblical Psychology was irrelevant. What was important was that it was God. Yet, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that two separate sects could have been formed because of these miracles – the Mudites and the Anti-Mudites.143 Pro- ponents of conformity might actually believe that they are bringing unity to the Church. After all, everyone appears to be marching to the same beat. But this is only because those with differing opinions have been silenced or driven away. Their attempts at enforcing conformity have actually destroyed both unity and diversity. Their attempts at enforcing conformity have actually led to division.

Bruce Olson experienced the effects of conformity when ministering to the Motilone Indians in Venezuela. Other missionaries had insisted that converted Indians should dress like them, go to their church buildings, and sing their songs. In doing so, they had completely rejected the Motilone culture. Bruce knew that this was wrong. He knew that this was not the Gospel message that Jesus had taught. And while he understood that the missionaries might have gotten a certain amount of satisfaction from seeing the Indians dressed like Western people and singing Western songs, he had to ask himself, “was that the only way Jesus could be worshipped?”144 Bruce decided that, from that moment onwards, he would preach the true Gospel message. It should be a sobering and convicting thought that attempts at conformity can even hurt the Gospel!

The answer for the spiritual man is unity and diversity. Jesus said, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind” (Matthew 13:47). And David also said, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1). In the spiritual realm, diverse believers can live in unity. Paul spoke of “unity in the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3-6). He spoke of one Body of Christ, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God and Father. But he did not speak of one soul. Oneness and unity happens in the human spirit, not in the soul. It is an internal activity, not an external one. And it is not something that can be manufactured. It is something that God must do.

Living and walking in the human spirit will automatically celebrate diversity and produce unity. Spiritual believers have unity with God and are free to be the diverse people that God created them to be. Unity has nothing to do with everyone being the same. Instead, unity happens when the differences of diverse people are accepted.

A simple house-plant can be used to illustrate how conformity can be so destructive and how unity and diversity can co-exist. The flowers represent the souls of individual believers. They are different sizes, different heights, and sometimes even different colors. They are diverse. But they all have the same root, representing the human spirit and the Holy Spirit. There are many, diverse flowers, but only one root. They have both unity and diversity. Conformity, however, tries to make all the flowers the same. In doing so, it crushes the flowers and kills the plant. Death is always the result of attempts at conformity.

143 This illustration has been used by many preachers over the years to teach about the dangers of conforming and divisive thinking 144 Bruce Olson – Bruchko – Chapter 5, First Meeting With Indians 154

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Finally, some might say that diversity can lead to confusion. They might say that everyone needs to be on the same page. But a book has many pages. They might also say that it would be much simpler if every believer did the same thing in the same way. But this is a natural response. “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Confusion comes from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is the double-minded man who is confused (James 3:16). The natural, soulish man is the only person who is confused. But the mature Christian has complete peace. And as he grows, there is growth both in unity and diversity.

Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Matthew 16:24)

The spiritual life requires the Cross. While the believer died with Christ (Romans 6:3-6; Galatians 2:20), his flesh is still there with him. Therefore, the Cross needs to be worked into his life in order to “mortify the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:13). The self-life is the greatest impediment to spiritual growth. Some believe that the world and the devil are the greatest enemies of the believer, but the number one enemy might be the flesh. When a believer is living in his flesh, he is placing himself at the center of his life. His life then becomes very small (2 Corinthians 6:12).

The Cross deals with the old life and enables the new life to become a practical reality. The believer then finds a new source for his life. That source is the life of Jesus Christ. This is not always a pleasant process. Although the flesh is dead, it does not want to lie down. It does not want to give in. The issue is generally one of pride. Therefore, God has to show the stubborn believer how vile and unpleasant he really is. This is what God did with Job (Job 40:4). Only then will the believer start to realize that his old nature really needs to be dealt with. And even then, the flesh will not give in without as a fight. But as Bill Freeman said, “Do not wait for the self to be agreeable to die. Let the Cross operate on it in the midst of its struggle to live.”145

Offenses are an important part of Christian life. It is important for the believer’s flesh to be offended. Only then will he consider the value of the Cross. Jesus frequently offended people (John 6:61). This left people with a choice. They could depart from Him or they could take up their Cross. Many choose a third option. They choose to deal with the offenses directly. They choose to remove the offense so that the Cross can be avoided. They choose not to allow God to deal with them. These people are often at the greatest risk because they appear to still be walking with God. They may have remained in the local assembly, but they have prepared safe haven for themselves where they can preserve their lives. But God knows where they are. And in time, the Cross will find them out.

The operation of the Cross is not a one-time deal. Nor is it restricted to certain areas of a believer’s life. God wants everything to be given up to Him, especially those things that the believer holds most dear. What is held dear varies from believer to believer. But one thing is certain. These things cannot be hidden from God. Often a believer will reminisce about some dealing that God had with him some years ago. But that is all in the past. God has something He wants to do today. And that something will almost certainly involve the Cross. As Paul said, “I die daily” (1 Corinthians 15:31). Reminiscing about past dealings is just another form of pride. It is just something else that God will have to deal with. The process of death, burial, and resurrection will not stop until the believer goes home to be with the Lord. Jeanne Guyon said, “The door that leads to life first leads to many deaths.”146 With each dealing, there comes another portion of spiritual life. But the way to this life is always through the Cross.

Many believers mistakenly believe that the working of the Cross is the removal of pleasure and comfort. And they believe that their activities for God are somehow immune or exempt from these workings. What they are

145 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 7, The Cross And The Hidden Self 146 Intimacy With Christ – Jeanne Guyon – Do Not Give In To Discouragement 155

Biblical Psychology doing is promoting a works program rather than a death program. But as Michael Molinos said, “There is a great difference which lies between this thing of doing and this thing of suffering and dying.”147 If the work of the ministry is excessively important to the believer, then God might ask him to take it to the Cross. One might ask why God would do such a thing. After all, isn’t God’s work important? Yes it is. But it is God’s work, and He does not need anyone’s help. The point is that God does not want His children to hide in their self-lives. And He certainly does not want them to do it in the work of the ministry.

The Cross is ultimately one of God’s greatest gifts to man. The Cross releases the believer from the bondage of his self-life and allows him to enjoy God’s life. Michael Molinos said, “Happy is the man who has no other thought but to die to his self-nature.”148 The prospect of the Cross should make the believer happy. But how often does this really happen? We need God’s help in everything, even in our death. We cannot crucify ourselves, as Bill Freeman explains:

“May the Lord grant us such a clear vision of the experience of the cross – in its outward aspect, its inward aspect, and it operating aspect. The outward aspect is related to our environment. The inward aspect is a matter of exercising our spirit to draw out the cross to face every new situation. And the operating aspect is a matter of trusting, believing, emptying, and then obeying the impulse of life. Just be like a child, not knowing anything but to obey.”149

Disciplines and Enemies of the Spiritual Life

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25)

Discipline No. 1 – Connection with the Body of Christ and the Pastor / Teacher

The Body of Christ might be the most undervalued and underestimated of all of God’s spiritual provisions. Many believers attend church, read their Bibles, pray, and do many others things that a Christian should do. They might even be part of some kind of Christian ministry, such as evangelism or visitation. But for most of the week, they hang out with the world. They hang out with friends from school or co-workers, and give little thought for God. This does not mean that a believer should not have unsaved friends. He should. He might be God’s only witness to those friends. But the believer needs the Body of Christ.

Believers often go through slumps and periods of discouragement. They need help. They need encouragement, and sometimes exhortation. The only place that they can receive real, spiritual encouragement is the Body of Christ. The world has a counterfeit form of encouragement. Their encouragement involves sentimentality or back-slapping. With respect to the new man, this does nothing for his edification. True, spiritual encouragement is salty. If necessary, it involves the Cross. It always builds up the new man (1 Thessalonians 5:11), while mortifying the old man.

Every believer has been called to a local assembly to sit under the teaching of a pastor/teacher. God wants to tear down the old man and build up the new man. He uses the pastor to do this, at least in part. The pastor’s ministry goes beyond his few hours behind the pulpit. It includes the time he spends with his congregation. He does not tolerate sin, but he does not condemn people either. He hates the sin, but loves the sinner. This ministry changes people. Paul said, “rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:13). Paul’s instructions to Titus were hard, but necessary. He had the best interests of God’s people in his heart. These are instructions that every pastor should follow.

147 100 Days In The Secret Place – Gene Edwards – Drawing Into The Inner Chamber 148 100 Days In The Secret Place – Gene Edwards – Drawing Into The Inner Chamber 149 The Cross And The Self – Bill Freeman – Chapter 8, Experiences Of The Cross 156

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Finally, the Body of Christ is a powerful covering for every believer, no matter what gifts he has or what position he holds. Even the most gifted preacher and evangelist needs the Body of Christ. Samson was a gifted man, killing many Philistines during his life. But he was also very independent. He did not believe that he needed help from anyone. God would deal with that, by allowing him to be captured and blinded by the Philis- tines. In his despair, Samson had to call out to a young boy to help him in his final victory over the Philistines (Judges 16:26). As a result, “the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life” (Judges 16:30). Samson needed the Body of Christ.

The same is true for every believer. At the end of a long day working in the world, the Body of Christ is a welcome refuge. The Body of Christ is the only place where this can happen. It cannot happen by staying at home. It cannot happen by going to the bar or the gym. It can only happen in the Body of Christ. God has done this by design. He has placed “the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Corinthians 12:18) so that no one believer can say that he does not need another believer (1 Corinthians 12:21).

The main enemies to the Body of Christ are gossip (2 Corinthians 12:20 – NASB), party spirits150 (1 Corinthi- ans 1:12), and partiality (1 Timothy 5:21). Any time believers choose certain people over others, they risk bringing division into the Body of Christ. This does not mean that believers cannot have small groups of special friends. However, these friendships should be based upon spiritual rapport rather than personality rapport.151 They should be inclusive, rather than exclusive. And they should be looking to reach out to people, rather than push them away.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15)

Discipline No. 2 – Studying the Word Of God

A believer who does not study his Bible is going to suffer from spiritual malnutrition. He may attend three or four Church services every week. He may listen to tapes or radio programs. He may even read devotionals. But it is his time in God’s Word that will make a difference. The Bereans exemplified this. Paul preached the Gospel to them. And they “they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11 – NKJV). The Bereans needed two things. They needed the preaching and teaching ministry of Paul. But they also needed their own personal study time. Without both of these, it is possible that they would never have become believers. The same is true for every believer, if he desires to grow. He needs to be both under the Book and in the Book. He needs both the preaching and teaching of his pastor/teacher and his own personal study time in God’s Word.

God’s Word is a living book. It contains God’s life. When the believer reads the Bible, it breathes life into him (2 Timothy 3:16). It is more than just a collection of words, even in the translations from the original lan- guages. Bible doctrine, when spiritually applied, will correct a man’s thinking, calm his emotions, direct his will, cleanse his conscience, and make him conscious of who he is in Christ. It will impact every part of his soul.

Meditation on God’s Word is also important. The quality of a believer’s study time is just as important as the quantity. It may even be more important. Spending the entire day meditating on four or five verses and one thought can be extremely beneficial to the believer. There are many voices out there that wish to speak to us, including the old man that still resides inside each of us. Our lives change when we stop listening to ourselves

150 The Greater Grace Glossary (Niels P. de Jong) describes “party spirit” as “the attitude of being part of a small exclusive circle of people, with the sense of excluding anyone who is not part of this group” 151 The Greater Grace Glossary (Niels P. de Jong) describes “personality rapport” as “a soul-power relationship between people based on personality appreciation or common likes or dislikes, instead of a rapport based on the Word of God and around Christ” 157

Biblical Psychology and start speaking to ourselves. The believer needs to take charge of both his reading and his meditation if he wants to be spiritually healthy.

The main enemies to the Word of God are the projections that come from the world, the flesh, and the devil. Television can be one of the most destructive forces in a believer’s life. Sports, entertainment, politics, and world news can all be very distracting, even depressing. These things are not necessarily bad in and of themselves. But, they need to be used very carefully. Some people need to ration them, or even cut them out of lives. Behind all of these sits the “god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4), the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2) who uses all aspects of his world system to excite man’s flesh and take the Word of God out of his life.

When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost (John 19:30)

Discipline No. 3 – Understanding Grace and the Finished Work

The Finished Work means that the believer is eternally secure in Christ and that he cannot lose his salvation. This is not a minor doctrine. It is truly central to the Gospel and absolutely essential for the believer’s psychological well-being. Just about every Finished Work believer has come across another believer who only thinks he is saved or who thinks that he can lose his salvation. Such a believer is not sure of his salvation. And he is not happy. If a believer is not sure that he is saved, then it is likely that he will be in a worse psychological state than the unbeliever. The unbeliever is going to hell, but he lives his life in ignorance. The unsure believer, on the other hand, knows that hell is real, even though he is not going there. As a result, he lives his life in a constant state of fear and anxiety. He is not a good testimony. After all, why would the ignorant unbeliever want to become like the worried and jittery believer who thinks he can lose his salvation.

The pure grace message is possibly the most despised message in Christianity! This is a strange thing to say, given that the Finished Work is at the heart of the Gospel. But many local assemblies, even where the pastor/teacher is saved, feel the need to add something to God’s message. They feel the need to bring in the Law, even if they do believe in eternal security. In doing so, they “frustrate the grace of God” (Galatians 2:21). The problem is that they do not trust grace. They believe that the pure grace message will lead to lawlessness and rebellion. But grace is what keeps the believer on the straight and narrow. Grace saved the believer, and it will keep him also (Galatians 3:3). This takes a great weight from the shoulders of any believer who has tried, and failed, to improve his life. As soon as he realizes that he cannot do it and that he just needs to trust God and receive grace, then a great burden will be taken off of his mind.

Grace must be the source of all of the believer’s thoughts, decisions, and feelings. Grace is what brings psychological peace and stability. Grace and peace go together (1 Corinthians 1:3 and 2 Peter 1:2). “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Any other message will bring confusion, which is from Satan. And any message which deviates from the pure Finished Work message of grace is also from Sa- tan. This is a hard statement, but it is nevertheless true. All anyone has to do is look at believers who do not believe in eternal security to see how true this is.

The main enemies to grace and the Finished Work are legalism, works programs, and licentious living. Legal- ism and works programs have done so much to damage the mind of the believer. This is why Paul said, “though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8). He was a former Pharisee and he knew how destructive legalism was and he was extremely tough on Pharisees and Judaizers, to the point where he would call them “dogs” and “evil workers” (Philippians 3:2).

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Licentious living lies at the other extreme. Jude warned of ungodly men who turned the “grace of our God into lasciviousness” (Jude 1:4). Grace is not a license to sin. In fact, grace is a license not to sin. Therefore, believers who choose to live sinful lives are missing out on God’s provision of grace. Worse still, they might not even be real believers.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10)

Discipline No. 4 – Having an Eternal Purpose

If a believer were to focus on the problems of this world, he could very easily become depressed. But this world is not our home. We are “strangers and pilgrims” (1 Peter 2:11), and “our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20 – NKJV). Therefore, the believer does not have any real problems. The only people in this world who have problems are the unbelievers. While heaven awaits the believer, an eternity in hell is all that the unbeliever has in front of him.

But the believer is still in the world. And he sees what is happening around him. What is he supposed to do with what he sees? If he is spiritual, he will see everything through the lens of an eternal purpose. He will see God’s revealed plan unfolding in front of him and he will be grateful that he is saved. He will be excited at the prospect of Jesus Christ’s Second Coming and the prospect of spending eternity with Him (1 Thessalonians 4:17). His excitement will lead him to desire to want to bring others into the Kingdom of God. And he will become a more fervent soul-winner as he sees the end approaching. His eternal mindset will result in a healthy soul.

The main enemy of an eternal purpose is love of the world. Satan hates all believers. But he has a particular hatred for those who think with an eternal purpose. They are beyond his grasp because they do not love their lives and are not afraid of death (Revelation 12:11). Therefore, he tries to get believers to love their lives and to love the world. Such believers become preoccupied with the things of the world, often putting political and social issues ahead of evangelism. Instead of bringing people into the Kingdom of God, they end up slipping back into the world. Although they are still saved, they are often miserable and bitter people. They are hardly a good testimony to a lost and dying world.

And Hannah answered and said, No, my lord, I am a woman of a sorrowful spirit: I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD (1 Samuel 1:15)

Discipline No. 5 – Practices of Prayer, Praise, and Worship

Prayer, praise, and worship are the practice of pouring one’s soul out before God. It doesn’t matter what the issue is, God wants us to pour it out before Him. This is how we relieve ourselves of our burdens and our worries. We give them to Him and He takes care of them. This is why prayer, praise, and worship are such important parts of the Christian life. They produce a healthy soul.

Prayer, praise, and worship are the practice of focusing on God. Francois Fenelon said, “Real prayer is nothing more than loving God.”152 And E. M. Bounds said, “The ministry of prayer, if it be anything worthy of the name, is a ministry of ardor, a ministry of unwearied and intense longing after God and after His holiness.”153 In our focus on God, we demonstrate our love, our devotion, and our honor. This puts us into the right relationship with God, where it is less of us and more of Him.

152 100 Days In The Secret Place – Gene Edwards – Real Prayer 153 The Essentials Of Prayer – E. M. Bounds – Chapter 3, Prayer And Devotion 159

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Having this right relationship with God is part of man’s design. The Father seeks those who will worship Him “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). The right relationship with the Father must happen in the human spirit and it must be based upon truth. When this occurs, we realize that He is the Creator and we are His creation. We realize that He is the Lord and we are His slaves. We realize that He is the King and we are His servants. But most importantly, we realize that He is the Father and we are His children.

God is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. What could we possibly say to Him that He does not already know? And what could the human spirit possibly utter that He Himself did not place there? Yet, God still commands us to pray. Why? As David said, God “inhabitest the praises of Israel” (Psalm 22:3). God lives in our prayer, in our praise, and in our worship. This is where we find Him. And this is why God desires for us to pray. He wants us to spend time with Him.

But how do we pray? For some, prayer is the hardest thing to do. Should I kneel, or is it alright for me to walk around? Should I pray in silence, or is it alright to have worship music in the background? Should I hide myself in my closet (Matthew 6:6), or is it alright to pray in public? What about corporate prayer? And what about praying with an open Bible? These are all important questions. And maybe the answer is, “Whatever works for you.” The important question is this. Are we in contact with the Holy Spirit?

Paul said, “we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26). In our prayers, we need to be in contact with the Ho- ly Spirit. He is our teacher and our helper. He is the power behind our prayers. Without Him, our prayers fall flat on the ground. Without Him, our prayers will not make it to heaven. As E. M. Bounds said, “We pray not by the truth that the Holy Spirit reveals to us, but we pray by the actual presence of the Holy Spirit.”154 The Holy Spirit is not just the source of our words. He gives those words power and authority.

For prayer to be effective, the believer must be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Ever since the disciples said, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1), the “Lord’s Prayer” or the “Model Prayer” (Matthew 6:9-13; Luke 11:2- 4) has been part of Christian tradition. But is this what Jesus really wanted? Or does reciting the same prayer for 2,000 years simply serve to keep the Holy Spirit out of the believer's prayer life? Unfortunately, this Church tradition has led to the death of prayer for many believers.

Prayer disciplines and prayer habits are good. But, E. M. Bounds, who was one of the great writers on the subject of prayer, said, “Habit may form the bank for the river of prayer, but there must be a strong, deep, pure current, crystal and life-giving, flowing between these two banks. … We cannot make our prayer habits too marked and controlling if the life-waters be full and overflow the banks.”155 Disciplines and habits are important, but not if they get in the way of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes we come to God in prayer with a long list of desires. There is nothing wrong with this. In fact, God wants this. He loves it. But prayer is so much more than asking for things from God. Prayer is so much more than a lot of words, words which are often said to impress those around us. While vain, repetitive words might impress man, they do not impress God (Matthew 6:5-7). Prayers should not be seen as magic spells or mystical chants. Prayer is intimacy with God. In these intimate, personal, and private times with God, it is often better to be quiet (Psalm 46:10) and to listen to what He has to say.

Finally, prayer has an extremely beneficial effect on marriage. It is a sad fact that there is little difference between the divorce rates for Christians and for non-Christians. The divorce rate for both groups is around 50

154 The Reality Of Prayer – E. M. Bounds – Chapter 14, The Holy Spirit, Our Helper In Prayer 155 The Reality Of Prayer – E. M. Bounds – Chapter 14, The Holy Spirit, Our Helper In Prayer 160

Biblical Psychology percent. But, the divorce rate for Christian couples who regularly pray together is 1 out of 1,152.156 Prayer does that. Not only does it bind the believer’s heart with God’s heart. But it also binds together the hearts of a husband and a wife. This binding is not limited to marriages. Churches and teams that pray together are also likely to be healthier that those that do not.

The main enemies of prayer, praise, and worship are pride and excessive activity. The self-life has no place in the prayer closet. It has no place in the presence of God. Prayer requires humility. Only then can the believer have the right relationship with God. But if a proud man prays, his words are simply noise to God. Prayer also requires time. This means that the believer has to cease from his activity and spend time with God. This is hard for some people. But nevertheless, it is necessary. A busy believer, who has no time for prayer, will be a fruit- less and a frustrated believer.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith (Habakkuk 2:4)

Discipline No. 6 – Exercising Faith

This portion is Habakkuk is repeated three times in the New Testament (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; He- brews 10:38). In each case, the Greek word translated as “live” is zoe. This is the spiritual life, as opposed to the biological or the soul life. There are several applications for this verse. But one application is that faith produces spiritual life in the believer. Therefore, living and walking by faith is a good spiritual discipline. For many, living by faith simply means trusting God to take care of their needs. But there is something much deeper. God is more than able to take care of our needs. And He does not need us to trust Him for that to happen. But faith is more than that. Faith is an impartation of God’s life.

Faith is a gift from God (Romans 12:3). The natural man has no faith, so he needs God to give it to him. The believer’s faith is not his either. It is “the faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). Faith is God’s mindset. Therefore, when the believer lives by faith, he is living by the faith of Jesus Christ and living with God’s mindset. All of this is good for his soul.

Faith is a great way to get to know God. With each step of faith, the believer gets to know and trust God. As his knowledge and experience of God increases, so does his faith. He ends up taking larger steps of faith as he gets to know God in a deeper and more intimate fashion. The result is that he ends up trusting God for everything and himself for nothing. He realizes that God can be trusted for everything and stops worrying about anything. Anxiety becomes a thing of the past as faith brings peace and rest into his life.

The main enemy of faith is over-analysis. The analytical believer is one who will believe God provided that he can understand God’s plan. He expects God to do things in a natural, explainable manner. But God is super- natural. His ways are not man’s ways (Isaiah 55:8). They are “unfathomable” (Romans 11:33 – NASB). The analytical believer will often try to rationalize circumstances in his life. He will put things into nice, neat boxes. And he will convince himself that he is still living by faith. In the end, God will allow those boxes to fall apart until the only option left to the believer is faith, even though things look impossible to the natural eye.

156 This statistic comes from a Gallup Poll that was commissioned in 1997 by the National Association of Marriage Enhancement in Phoenix, Arizona 161

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The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but [he that is] cruel troubleth his own flesh (Proverbs 11:17)

Discipline No. 7 – Forgiveness

R. T. Kendall said, “I have come to the conclusion that the primary way we grieve the Spirit in our lives is by fostering bitterness in our hearts.”157 Unforgiveness is a major cause of psychological problems, for both believers and unbelievers. Many people hold onto grudges, wounds, injuries, etc. They are obsessed with the wrongs that others have done to them. They refuse to forgive. But what is the point? Can the past be changed? And is the wrong-doer really concerned? Does he care whether or not he is forgiven? Probably not. The only person who suffers is the one who refuses to forgive.

The spirit of unforgiveness keeps a person in bondage to the one who wronged him. Forgiveness brings peace in the soul, while resentment and bitterness destroy it. Every person who has ever been wronged has a choice to make. But if he wants to have peace, he has to forgive. He needs to let go of the wrong that was done to him and which still has a hold on him. One illustration is that of a man being dragged behind a moving car. The car represents some wrong that was done to him and which is dragging him. But he is not tied to the rope. He is simply holding on to the rope. And because of this, he is being dragged behind the car. If he wants to stop being dragged, he simply needs to let go of the rope. And if he wants peace in his soul, he simple needs to let go of the wrong that was done to him and forgive the wrong-doer.

Mercy is good for the soul because God is a God of mercy. When the believer forgives another person, he is living with the heart of God. Man was not designed for unforgiveness, which is why God said, “Vengeance is Mine” (Deuteronomy 32:35 – NKJV). Jesus said, “Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven” (Luke 6:37). He was not talking about salvation. But He was saying that those who choose judgment and condemnation over forgiveness will not experience the peace that comes from God’s forgiveness.

But what is forgiveness? R. T. Kendall came up with two excellent lists on what forgiveness means and what it does not mean :158

Forgiveness is not … • Approval of what they did • Denying what they did • Excusing what they did • Blindness to what happened • Justifying what they did • Forgetting • Pardoning what they did • Refusing to take the wrong seri- • Reconciliation ously • Pretending we are not hurt

Forgiveness is … • Being aware of what someone • Graciousness has done and still forgiving them • An inner condition • Choosing to keep no record of • The absence of bitterness wrongs • Forgiving God • Refusing to punish • Forgiving others • Not telling what they did • Being merciful

Two items in these lists need further elaboration, namely that forgiveness is not the same as reconciliation and forgetting. Surely the believer is told to forget what happened. This is a tall order. Is it possible to forget? And

157 Total Forgiveness – R. T. Kendall – Introduction 158 Total Forgiveness – R. T. Kendall – Chapter 1, What Is Total Forgiveness? 162

Biblical Psychology is it even wise? What if the wrong-doer has stolen money from Body members? Or, worse still, what if he has tried to supply drugs or alcohol to their children? Church leadership has a duty to forgive. But it also has a responsibility to the remainder of the Body of Christ. In such cases, it needs to remember the wrong-doer’s sin, while still loving him and knowing him apart from his sin. Only God’s grace can do this. As R. T. Kendall said, “Love doesn’t erase our memories. It is actually a demonstration of greater grace when we are fully aware of what occurred – and we still choose to forgive.”159

Reconciliation is the other thing that is not always possible or wise. While believers should never be totally cut off from the Body of Christ, it is also not possible to have fellowship with wrong-doers who have not repented. Paul told the Corinthians not to have fellowship with sexually immoral believers, while still permitting them to have contact with sexually immoral unbelievers (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). This principle also applies to other areas of sin in the believer’s life. Fellowship is simply not possible with an unrepentant backslider. Further- more, it can be dangerous, because that person can easily infect others in the Body of Christ. At the same time, the Body of Christ needs to be available to love that person, to pray for him, and to give him counsel. This requires a sensitive balance of grace and truth. But the believer who chooses grace and truth over sentimentality and self-righteousness will achieve that balance.

So, how does one forgive? And is it necessary for the wrong-doer to apologize or to ask forgiveness? Some years ago, Billy Graham went on television and publicly forgave a well-known public figure. The responses were varied and extreme, based upon one’s view of that person. Some applauded Mr. Graham’s actions. While others criticized him, saying that the person had never asked for forgiveness. But, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). This is God’s heart of forgiveness. And it is the heart of forgiveness that Mr. Graham chose to manifest. Is that public figure saved? Only God really knows the answer. But Mr. Graham gave it over to God, saying that he would not live in unforgiveness towards him.

Finally, forgiveness is not a feeling. It is a commandment. The believer is commanded to love his enemies (Luke 6:27). This love includes forgiveness, even when we don’t want to forgive. Corrie ten Boom is a person who exemplified this principle, and who experienced great peace and joy in the process. During World War II, Corrie and her family were involved in smuggling Jews out of Holland. They were betrayed, captured, and sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Through God’s grace and His miraculous intervention, Corrie sur- vived. But her sister, Betsie, died in the camp. After the war, Corrie dedicated her life to sharing God’s message of love and forgiveness. But it was not always easy. As the following story demonstrates, forgiveness is not easy when it is personal :

“And that’s when I saw him, working his way forward against the others. One moment I saw the over- coat and the brown hat; the next, a blue uniform and a visored cap with its skull and crossbones. It came back with a rush: the huge room with its harsh overhead lights; the pathetic pile of dresses and shoes in the center of the floor; the shame of walking naked past this man. I could see my sister’s frail form ahead of me, ribs sharp beneath the parchment skin. Betsie, how thin you were!

The place was Ravensbruck and the man who was making his way forward had been a guard – one of the must cruel guards.

Now he was in front of me, hand thrust out: ‘A fine message, Fräulein! How good it is to know that, as you say, all our sins are at the bottom of the sea!’

And I, who had spoken so glibly of forgiveness, fumbled in my pocketbook rather than take that hand. He would not remember me, of course – how could he remember one prisoner among those thousands of women?

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But I remembered him and the leather crop swinging from his belt. I was face-to-face with one of my captors and my blood seemed to freeze.

‘You mentioned Ravensbruck in your talk,’ he was saying, ‘I was a guard there.’ No, he did not remember me.

‘But since that time,’ he went on, ‘I have become a Christian. I know that God has forgiven me for the cruel things I did there, but I would like to hear it from your lips as well. Fräulein,’ again the hand came out – ‘will you forgive me?’

And I stood there – I whose sins had again and again to be forgiven – and could not forgive. Betsie had died in that place – could he erase her slow terrible death simply for the asking?

It could not have been many seconds that he stood there – hand held out – but to me it seemed hours as I wrestled with the most difficult thing I had ever had to do.

For I had to do it – I knew that. The message that God forgives has a prior condition: that we forgive those who have injured us. ‘If you do not forgive men their trespasses,’ Jesus says, ‘neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.’

I knew it not only as a commandment of God, but as a daily experience. Since the end of the war I had had a home in Holland for victims of Nazi brutality. Those who were able to forgive their former enemies were able also to return to the outside world and rebuild their lives, no matter what the physical scars. Those who nursed their bitterness remained invalids. It was as simple and as horrible as that.

And still I stood there with the coldness clutching my heart. But forgiveness is not an emotion – I knew that too. Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart. ‘Jesus help me!’ I prayed silently. ‘I can lift my hand. I can do that much. You supply the feeling.’

And so woodenly, mechanically, I thrust my hand into the one stretched out to me. And as I did, an in- credible thing took place. The current started in my shoulder, raced down my arm, [and] sprang into our joined hands. And then this healing warmth seemed to flood my whole being, bringing tears to my eyes.

‘I forgive you, brother!’ I cried. ‘With all my heart!’

For a long moment we grasped each other’s hands, the former guard and the former prisoner. I had never known God’s love so intensely, as I did then. But even so, I realized it was not my love. I had tried, and did not have the power. It was the power of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Romans 5:5, ‘… because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.’”160

The main enemies of forgiveness are revenge and bitterness. The only person they hurt is the one who refuses to forgive. It is amazing to see people who are preoccupied with revenge. It destroys them, as they spend all of their time trying to figure out how they are going to get revenge on the person who wronged them. They medi-

Biblical Psychology tate on the wrong that was done to them. But nothing is resolved. They have no peace and no joy. Yet, they somehow feel justified.

This becomes worse when a close friend or a loved one is the one who has been wronged. Satan convinces them that forgiving the wrong-doer is somehow a betrayal of the one who was wronged. But Corrie ten Boom demonstrated how wrong Satan is when she, with the Lord’s help, was able to forgive those who had brutal- ized her sister. This is not betrayal. This is the love of Jesus Christ.

… he that winneth souls is wise (Proverbs 11:30)

Discipline No. 8 – Dedication to Ministry and Evangelism

Ministry is primarily seen as serving God. But it is a lot more than that. Ministry, especially evangelism, is God’s provision for a healthy soul. Often, the believer does not want to go. But he goes anyway and is not dis- appointed. He goes out with the Body of Christ and God shows up. He meets other believers. And he gets both to share and to hear the Gospel. Evangelism is fun, even when the Gospel is rejected. It takes the believer out of himself and into the heart of God. It takes his mind off of his temporal problems and gives him an eternal mindset.

David Livingstone said, “God had only one Son, and he made Him a missionary.” God’s heart is for missions. This leads to God’s call. And God’s call always comes with God’s provision. When a believer goes soul- winning, he is operating from God’s heart and in the nature of Jesus Christ. And he is receiving God’s provision. This produces great spiritual life in his soul. God always blesses His call and He always blesses those who receive His provision and walk in that call.

Paul said, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). The believer’s call to evangelize has been ordained by God and prepared by Jesus Christ. When he walks in that call, he walks with the Lord and sees His works. With every divine encounter, God’s glory is revealed to him. He sees God working in all of the details and this strengthens his soul.

The main enemies of ministry and evangelism are hatred and indifference. Jesus Christ died for all mankind, yet not a single man deserves salvation. Hatred in a believer causes him to pick and choose whom he thinks should be saved. Jonah suffered from this kind of hatred. He hated the Ninevites and he did not believe that they should be given a chance to repent. Eventually, he did go to Nineveh and the Ninevites did repent. But because of Jonah’s hatred, it did not bring any peace to His soul (Jonah 3:10-4:1). God desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). This is why people like Richard Wurmbrandt and Corrie ten Boom had such peace in their souls. They desired all men to be saved, including their enemies.

Indifference in a believer causes him to cease caring about the plight of the unbeliever. This often happens because he is preoccupied with his own problems and his own desires. This is why the doctrine of Hell is so important. It is a tough doctrine. And it is one that should make the believer feel uncomfortable and uneasy. But the reality of Hell will make him grateful to God for saving him. And it will restore his desire to seek the lost.

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? (Proverbs 18:14)

Spiritual disciplines have a significant impact on the health of the human spirit. Ultimately, love results in a healthy spirit. The lists which follow provide a brief overview of the various conditions of the human spirit :

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The Healthy Spirit161 Contrite spirit Isaiah 57:15 Broken spirit Psalm 51:17 Trembling spirit Isaiah 66:2 Humble spirit Proverbs 16:19 Proverbs 29:23 Isaiah 57:15 Poor spirit Matthew 5:3 Meek spirit Galatians 6:1 Fervent spirit Romans 12:11 Relaxed spirit Proverbs 17:27 Rejoicing spirit Luke 1:47 Fearless spirit 2 Timothy 1:7 Quiet spirit 1 Peter 3:4 New spirit Romans 7:6 Holy spirit 1 Corinthians 7:34 2 Corinthians 7:1 Strong spirit Luke 1:80 Unified spirit Philippians 1:27 Grace-filled spirit Galatians 6:18 Raptured spirit Hebrews 6:5

The Unhealthy Spirit Wounded spirit Proverbs 18:14 Hosea 6:1 Poisoned spirit Job 6:4 Bitter spirit Hebrews 12:15

The Sinful Spirit162 Haughty spirit Proverbs 16:18 Angry spirit Ecclesiastes 7:9 Hardened spirit Daniel 5:20 Treacherous spirit Malachi 2:16 Deceitful spirit Psalms 32:2 Unfaithful spirit Psalms 78:8 Jealous spirit Proverbs 27:4 Song of Solomon 8:6

161 The Spiritual Man – Watchman Nee – Section 6, Chapter 4, The Proper Condition of the Spirit 162 Our Human Spirits: Sins of the Spirit – First Baptist Church – www.baptiststart.com/sermons/Human_Spirit_sins_of.doc (with some additions) 166

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Bibliography

The following resources were very helpful in the writing of this book :

• Commentary on the Old Testament Keil & Delitzsch Public Domain

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• Neuroscience for Kids http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

• Our Human Spirits: Sins of the Spirit First Baptist Church www.baptiststart.com/sermons/Human_Spirit_sins_of.doc

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• The Biblical View of Self-Image Gary Gilley September 1996 - Volume 2, Issue 11 www.svchapel.org/resources/articles/25-psychology/573-the-Biblical-view-of-self-image •

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• The Holy War John Bunyan Public Domain

• The Spirit Of Christ Andrew Murray Christian Literature Crusade 1963, 1974, 1970, 1972, 1973

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• Treasury Of David Charles Spurgeon Public Domain

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